LAHORE- The hospitalisation of General (r) Pervez Musharraf’s mother in a Sharjah medical facility for respiratory problem only two days before her son is required to appear before a special court in high treason case triggered speculations about the future course of action of the former president and COAS.
Political circles think that the 70-year-old ex-general, who himself has been under treatment at AFIC since January 2, may be allowed to leave the country to inquire after his ailing mother.
However, his lawyers and political aides are unclear about it. The government seems to be not inclined to be soft on the former military ruler who is regarded by the ruling party’s top leadership as their Enemy No 1. The hearing of high treason case is resuming on Monday. The court has ordered Musharraf to appear before it for indictment. In case he is reluctant, the police may have to arrest and produce him before the court – a situation that could lead to tension between the government and the military establishment.
Lead counsel and close aide of Musharraf, Barrister Ahmed Raza Kasuri when contacted said, “Application signed by Pervez Musharraf seeking permission to see his ailing mother is pending in the court of law.” Kasuri refused to comment when asked if there were any arrangements to bring Musharraf back from Sharjah if he is allowed to visit his mother. He however said that Musharraf should be permitted to visit her ailing mother.
“One should not equate the case of Musharraf with the trial of an ordinary man. He is a former president and COAS. I don’t think that any man of law could afford burden on his conscious by stopping Musharraf to visit his ailing mother.”
In an earlier chat with The Nation, Kasuri – while refuting Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s claim that Musharraf had become apologetic to get permission for leaving the country – said, “Musharraf was not like the Sharifs who had left the country after signing an agreement.”
The minister in an interview few days ago also said that Musharraf is willing to come down to any level to get out of the situation. But Kasuri said Musharraf had been at the AFIC for the past 80 days, which was an important signal for the people of understanding.
Kasuri claimed that the government and security establishment were not on the same page on the issue of Musharraf’s trial under Article 6. “The Armed Forces would never like their former boss indicted under Article 6.” Another close aide of Musharraf, Major General (r) Rashid Qureshi, when contacted, restricting himself to few words, said, “I have no information about Musharraf’s current status.”
Aasia Ishaq, spokesperson of Musharraf’s faction of Muslim League, when called insisted: We should not blow the things out of proportion concerning former president’s ailing mother’s hospitalisation, as she had been admitted to the hospital in the past too for treatment of her respiratory problem. She however was not clear about Musharraf’s possible travel to Sharjah.
Yet another old friend of Musharraf, Fawad Chaudhary on contact remarked: The treason case is politically motivated and I advised the former president to wage a political battle on this front instead of fighting it on the legal front alone. Fawad, who is now a spokesman for PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, claimed that a real treason case could be built against Musharraf on his October 1999 action, while the ongoing case was just based on ruling party’s top leadership’s personal vendetta.