Source:

September 01, 2009 12:34 IST

Pakistan troops and people were conveyed only fabricated stories about the Kargil War by then army chief General Pervez Musharraf, according to a senior Pakistani commander having long experience of serving on the Line of Control.

Former Quetta corps commander Lt. General (retired) Tariq Pervez said: "At the beginning of the Kargil conflict, Musharraf, Mehmood and their cronies had tried to display their feelings that they had achieved what I had thought impossible."

"I conveyed that like every Pakistani in uniform, I would have been too happy if the Indians were beaten. Later, it was proved that only fabricated stories were conveyed to the troops and the public," he added.

Lt. General Tariq said Pakistani causalities were in great number and the claims about building bunkers proved false. The fact remains that no precautionary measures were made to ensure victory or the safety of life of the troops; The News quoted him, as saying.

When asked as to what were his differences with Musharraf and why he as corps commander met Nawaz Sharif bypassing him, Lt General Tariq Pervez said "their differences on professional matters were old. They had multiplied during the Kargil adventure where Lt. General Mehmood and Lt. General Aziz were also involved."

"During the briefings on Kargil, Musharraf used to boast over his successes. However, I wanted to be heard in those meetings and transfer my long experiences as commander over the Line of Control. I was keen that the army benefits from my experiences," he said.

Lt. General Tariq said he had met Musharraf early in October 1999 on news that he was immediately being retired from service. "He just gave me a couple of days more when requested that sufficient time should be given so that one can make up his mind as it had been a long service in the Army".

It was Lt. Gen Tariq's perception that by the time he met Musharraf, he had already made up his mind to overthrow the Nawaz Sharif Government. "The day he took over, it was my last day in uniform," he said.

He recalled that although it smelled fishy on October 12, 1999, but he never knew that such a major step was on the anvil.