Former dictator’s wife writes to govt to take her husband’s name off ECL but PM says it’s up to special court to decide his fate
Nawaz says if everybody is equal in eyes of law, then every citizen is answerable to a court of law
“The case is not about a particular individual because we are at a juncture in our history where it has to be resolved whether we want to live in a civilised democratic country or not.” Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister
General (r) Pervez Musharraf’s wife on Saturday requested the government to lift a travel ban on him even as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the embattled former military ruler’s fate will be decided by a special court.
Musharraf’s wife Sehba wrote to the Interior Ministry requesting it to remove her husband’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL), sources in the former president’s legal team told Pakistan Today.
Her application listed several reasons for ending the foreign travel ban, including 70-year-old Musharraf’s sudden illness. Though the Interior Ministry denied it had received the application, a source in the legal team said, “Today (Saturday) is a holiday and they are technically right in saying they have not got it. We are right when we say Sehba Musharraf has written to them.”
MUSHARRAF’S FATE:
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told a news channel that Musharraf’s fate will be decided by a special court as both the state and the constitution were party to the former dictator’s trial on charges of high treason.
“Since the matter is sub-judice, any comment from my side may not be appropriate. However, other than the case’s merit, I do say that the real petitioners in this case are the state and the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said.
The government has formed a special court to try 70-year-old Musharraf for treason for imposing emergency in 2007. He skipped the first two hearings convened by the court, citing security concerns after explosives were found near his home.
While being driven to the third hearing on Thursday, Musharraf felt pain in the heart and was admitted to a military hospital in Rawalpindi. The sudden health scare has given rise to speculation that he might be allowed to leave Pakistan to seek treatment abroad.
However, Nawaz said the special court has to decide whether Musharraf’s action of imposing emergency on November 3, 2007 amounted to treason. It will also have to decide whether his action of putting then chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry under house arrest on November 7, 2007 caused humiliation to the state of Pakistan, Sharif added.
“I would also like to say the case is not about a particular individual because we are at a juncture in our history where it has to be resolved whether we want to live in a civilised democratic country or not,” he said.
“If everybody is equal in the eyes of the law, then every citizen is answerable to a court of law. It is up to the court to decide whether he is innocent or guilty.”
Separately, a senior government official told Pakistan Today that only courts could decide about removing Musharraf’s name from the Interior Ministry’s ECL.
“The government cannot do anything. It is up to the court. Even if we want to, we cannot remove the name,” the official said.
REPORTS SENT TO UK:
Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmad Raza Kasuri told Pakistan Today that doctors were monitoring his condition in the Intensive Care unit and his medical reports had been sent to experts in Britain, who will determine whether further treatment will be done in Pakistan or abroad.
Though the military hospital has not issued any statement on Musharraf’s condition, one of the doctors treating him said he was feeling well.
“The General is feeling well and we are conducting his medical checkup at regular intervals…every two hours. It is, however, not decided whether to send him abroad for treatment,” Maj Gen (r) Azhar Kayani said.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif brushed aside rumours of a secret deal to allow Musharraf to leave the country.
Asif said such a secret deal was out of the question. “Musharraf is being provided the best medical facilities in the country and his name would not be removed from the ECL at any cost,” he said.
In a related development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has admitted for hearing a petition seeking ban on Musharraf’s exit from Pakistan.
The petition filed by Shuhada Foundation Pakistan will be heard by IHC Chief Justice Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on Monday.
What a coordination between Pakistan Today and Times of India? Both have published similar photograph of Musharraf and almost similar humiliating and degrading language in narrative.
However Musharraf retuned to Pakistan at his own against the advice of all his well wishers. He wanted to face what all these fraud degree politicians with the conivance of PCO, CJ, had framed against him when he was abroad. Now instead of appreciating his right geture, they are concockting funny stories for his running back seems to be part of our moral stupidity.
Nawaz,you should know that everyone is not equal in the eyes of the law,you don't have to look far,just look at yourself and your idiot brother,considering you only paid a few hundred thousand rupees in taxes while you made billions,isn't that fraud??? your time will come too one day INSHALLAH.
All biased content in favor of idiot Nawaz. Musharraf gave freedom to media and brought prosperity to this country, for which he is being punished. We are deserved to be ruled by corrupt leaders such as idiot Nawaz.
If the case is false then why this coward is not facing court. He needs to come out of it clean or he will rightly be called a coward. He Iis prepared to take 8 hours flight to the UK but too ill to travel a few miles to stand befire court. Ex. Army men are ashamed of what he is doing.
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