Musharraf unlikely to return to face trial

islamabad — Former military president Pervez Musharraf, who is facing a high-profile treason case for suspending the constitution, is unlikely to return to the country due to his family pressure and medical board’s recommendations, a media report said on Sunday.

The development came a day after his lawyer Salman Safdar told reporters that the 75-year-old former president, despite his deteriorating medical condition, is determined to appear before the court that had summoned him for the hearing scheduled for May 2.

However, Dawn News channel reported that General (retired) Musharraf might not return to Pakistan because of his medical board’s recommendation and family pressure.

“Gen Musharraf has been facing pressure from his family that he should not travel at the cost of his health. However, as everyone knows that Gen Musharraf is a man of his words so still there are 50 per cent chances of his return,” a member of the All Pakistan Muslim League Ali Nawab Chitrali said.

“He is eager to come to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court. He has been suffering from severe backbone pain and the medical board has advised him not to travel,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

A special court indicted Musharraf for high treason in March 2014. Musharraf left Pakistan in 2016 to “seek medical treatment” abroad and has not returned since.

The Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against Musharraf over the president’s imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

The Supreme Court on April 1, directed him to appear before the special court on May 2. —