Washington, May 20 : Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the PPP-led coalition government must emerge out from the shadow of Pakistan President Musharraf, who, according to him, had dominated Pakistan and its relationship with the US for too long.

He said that in the present circumstances Pakistan was equated with Musharraf and Musharraf with Pakistan.

“I think Musharraf is Musharraf, Pakistan is Pakistan. They must not equate Musharraf with Pakistan or equate Pakistan with Musharraf. US policy all along has been to support the people of Pakistan and to have friendly relations with the country and not with one man,” The News quoted Nawaz as saying in an interview with ‘Voice of America’ (VOA).

He added: “People want to see the change that they voted for. Of course the first change they wanted to see and still want to see is to have a new president of this country. Because they are absolutely certain that the eight years of Musharraf's rule have brought them a lot of problems.”

Nawaz dismissed suggestions the federal government had ignored serious problems while it remains deadlocked on the judges’ issue. “This issue I think can, God forbid, make or break a democratic Pakistan. So if we ignore this issue and just simply allow it to fade out, I think we will be committing the biggest crime in the political history of the country,” he added. (ANI)