SC order ‘ scares’ Musharraf, keeps away from home
Islamabad, June 21: Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on Thursday said he was all set to return to the country but the Supreme Court order for his arrest forced him to change his mind.
Mr Musharraf , 74, who has been in exile in Dubai and London since 2016 is facing several cases in the Supreme and high courts, including one for treason for allegedly subverting the constitution and the Supreme Court earlier this month asked him to return to Pakistan if he wanted to contest the general elections scheduled on July 25.
The former President told reporters through a video link that the apex court order “barring the authorities from arresting me till my appearance before the august court has forced me to rethink my plans about return”.
“There will be no benefit of my return to the country if I am arrested just after my appearance before the court,” he said.
“The entire world knows that I am not a coward, but now I will wait for an appropriate time to return,” Mr Musharraf said.
Mr Musharraf had left the country on March 18,
2016 for medical treatment after the authorities removed his name from the Exit Control List. His lawyers say he is still getting medical treatment abroad as he suffers from Parkinson’s disease.
Mr Musharraf had filed nominations from two constituencies from his party platform, the All Pakistan Muslim League, but first he had his nomination papers rejected from the NA- 1 constituency from Chitral by the returning officer and than withdraw his nomination himself from NA247 in Karachi after he was told to appear before the election officer.
The Supreme Court on June 13 had issued a rebuke to the former strongman and told him to present himself before the court in 24- hours and the fate of his nomination papers depended on his appearance before the court.