The new government in Pakistan should review the causes for the Kargil war, including President Pervez Musharraf's role, and fix responsibility for the conflict with India, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said.
The Charter of Democracy signed by the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz nearly two years ago committed both parties to setting up a commission to review the Kargil conflict, Sharif, whose party has decided top support to a PPP-led coalition government, said.
The document also committed the parties to abolishing the National Security Council, making the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency accountable to the civilian government and getting all army officers to declare their assets annually, the PML-N chief said.
"We stand by the Charter. We think it's an excellent document and it must be implemented in letter and spirit. And I have all the intentions to do that," Sharif told interviewer Karan Thapar on the 'Devil's Advocate' programme.
"The PPP is committed to that because it bears the signature of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto," he said.
Asked if he was still committed to the setting up of a commission to look into the causes of Kargil and to fix responsibility, Sharif replied, "Yes".
Sharif, whose PML-N emerged as the second largest party after PPP in the February 18 polls, also said the charter continued to be binding despite slain former premier Bhutto's talks on a possible power-sharing arrangement with Musharraf.
Sharif has for long contested Musharraf's contention that he was aware about and had backed the plan to take over strategic heights in the Kargil sector of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir in 1999, while he was the prime minister.
The conflict stalled a peace initiative that had been launched by Sharif and his then Indian counterpart, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, barely months before Pakistani troops took over the heights in Kargil.
The Pakistani troops and mujahideen were evicted after a three-month long campaign.
Asked if a possible probe into the Kargil affair was another way to target Musharraf, Sharif said, "It's not targeting; it is straightening out things. We have to put our house in order and we want to put our house in order".
Sharif also did not rule out the possibility of taking legal action against Musharraf for deposing him in a military coup in 1999, barely three months after the end of the Kargil conflict, and for abrogating the constitution.
"Somebody will have to be taken to task. After all, abrogating the constitution is not a small crime. Does it happen in India? What is the harm if any such action is initiated?" he asked.
Asked if he would actually initiate legal action against Musharraf, Sharif said, "Who knows? Well, time will tell. I think the country has suffered enough at the hands of these dictators".
Sharif repeated his call for Musharraf to quit in the wake of the defeat of his supporters in the February 18 general election. "That is why we are saying repeatedly, 'Mr Musharraf step down. There may be a safe exit now available to you. If you don't do that, if you don't accept the mandate and verdict of the people, then you will be at a loss'," he said.
"The verdict of the people showed that they don't want this man to be president of this country any more," Sharif noted.
Asked if the army would accept Musharraf's ouster, he said, "Well the army has its own job to do. The army must stay in its domain now and I think the army today perhaps is giving the right signals - that they don't want to do anything with politics".
To a question on whether army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who was appointed by Musharraf, may want to 'protect the President's dignity', Sharif said, "The dignity of the country is more important than any individual. I am not saying it for any personal vengeance. I don't have any personal vendetta against Mr Musharraf, but look at the country. How the country has suffered".
Asked if his actions would look to the army as if he was targeting them, Sharif replied, "If we, the politicians, and everybody else in this country, the businessmen, industrialists, have to declare their assets, why can't we ask the army to declare their assets? I think fairness demands that we have to," he explained.
Sharif said he was not scared that his actions might invite the wrath of the army, which has ruled Pakistan for over three decades.
"I have not been scared for the last eight years. I am back home in this country. I am not scared of Mr Musharraf. (When) I fought these elections, I took the risk of my life. I conducted my election campaign in such a situation where nobody can even think of going out of his house. I only fear god," he said.
Sharif's party has indicated that it will back the government from outside without joining the cabinet.