ISLAMABAD: The top mediators of the Nawaz Sharif government appear to have been succeeded in convincing the ex-military dictator Pervez Musharraf to leave the country after the latter has been released from a six-month incarceration at his own residence.
The general as first step towards preparing to leave the country in the near future moved Sindh High Court on Monday for removal of his name from the exit control list (ECL) which the court had ordered soon after his returning home from self-exile in March this year.
A source privy to the development said yesterday that although the retired general has made the ground for leaving country to take care of his ailing mother, but in fact he is doing so on the advice of security agencies who have warned him of serious threats to his life if he stays back.
The retired general was approached by a team of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N in the evening of October 31 to convince him on planning to leave the country after his expected bail in the Lal Masjid murder case next day (which took place on November 4).
He had however refused to oblige and instead questioned government team as to what was fear if he remains in the country.
He had also told his friends that he would not leave the country until he was absolutely exonerated from all the cases against him and would prefer to bury his ailing mother alongside his father’s grave if she dies abroad.
It looks like history is repeating itself and Musharraf is tasting the same medicine which he had prescribed for Sharif’s family thirteen years ago on the advice of a friendly country which is also guarantor for protecting him against incarceration-execution in the treason case.
“It is now up to the government to put a stop on his planned exit from the country on the grounds that an inquiry is pending against him for trial for the abrogation of constitution and slapping emergency in the country,” said a source.
If the former dictator is allowed to leave it will be under a deal that would be enforced on the behest of some friendly countries, sources said.
The Sindh High Court had put his name on ECL barring him from leaving the country till he was cleared of various court cases pending against him.
In his application it has been prayed that he wants to be with his mother after being released on bail in all the cases against him. His inclusion in the ECL is a violation of his fundamental rights, his lawyer Halepota said.
The application further prayed the court to modify an earlier order restraining Musharraf from leaving Pakistan without permission from courts hearing cases against him.
A division bench headed by Justice Sajjad Shah has accordingly issued notices to the Deputy Attorney General and Sindh’s Advocate General and Prosecutor General, asking them to respond to the application by November 18.
Internews
