ISLAMABAD - All Pakistan Muslim League President Dr Mohammad Amjad reiterated that the party’s chairman Gen (retired) Pervez Musharraf would be returning back to Pakistan soon to face court trial and necessary arrangements for his return including provision of foolproof security were underway.

Addressing a press conference, Dr Amjad said that they were also busy preparing plan for his public addresses across the country as Gen (retired) Musharraf was returning back after a long break and was enthusiastic to lead the party’s campaign for the upcoming general elections.

Last week, the Special Court took up the high treason case against Musharraf and directed the government to bring him back through Interpol, if he showed reluctance to return back and face the trial.

But on the assurance of his counsel that they had already requested the interior and defence ministries for provision of adequate security to him so any further action against Musharraf should be deferred till the reply from the concerned quarters.

Dr Amjad hoped that besides taking adequate security measures the government would not place any restrain on his movement and political activities including address to public rallies.

Responding to a question, the APML president said that the schedule for Gen (retired) Musharraf would be finalised in the party’s meeting already called in Dubai on March 21 (tomorrow) and it was decided that in which city he would land.

The meeting in Dubai would also discuss the other party affairs including the strategy for upcoming general elections, awarding of party tickets and other related matters.

Dr Amjad strictly dispelled the impression that Gen (retired) Pervez Musharraf was allowed to move out of the country under some clandestine deal, adding that now once again people were propagating that he would be returning on the direction of certain elements.

When asked to give some cut-off date of his return, the APML president said that right now he was not in a position to give some exact date because the issues relating to his return and security would be discussed in the Dubai meeting but assured that the party chairman would be back before the installation of the caretaker set-up.

Dr Amjad said that when Gen (retired) Pervez Musharraf was holding the reins of power the country was having a booming economy but instead of keeping the national economy on an upward trajectory the following governments of the PPP and the PML-N had put the economy in the reverse gear and now once again the national economy was in a shambles.

“It is a matter of pride for us that nobody has blamed General Musharraf for any corruption till date,” he said, adding that during Gen (retired) Musharraf’s government the country’s total debt stood at 36 billion dollars, whereas the two successive governments took this figure to a level of $80 billion.

Today Pakistan needs a leader like Musharraf who has the ability to pull this country out of the crises because he dares country’s enemies and is capable of countering them at all levels, Dr Amjad added.

He said that previously General Musharraf had been appearing before the courts and he would do so again but all they wanted was foolproof security for him.

General (retired) Musharraf will decide to return back after March 21 meeting and before that a meeting of the Pakistan Awami Ittehad (PAI) is scheduled on March 20.

The PAI is a 23 parties political alliance that General Musharraf had formed in November 2017.

Dr Amjad said that the last time when General Musharraf had returned back, a Sindh High Court bench had granted him protective bails in three cases.

Later, he also appeared even before a magistrate.

When he left the country for treatment of his backache, the apex court passed order on the petition seeking removal of his name from the ECL that if Musharraf was not required by the federal government in any other case the apex court had no objection on removal of his name from the ECL.

To a question about Nawaz Sharif, Dr Amjad said that he was inciting general public against the judiciary and the armed forces of Pakistan following his disqualification from the apex court adding that instead of doing this, Nawaz Sharif should file an appeal in his cases and he should not malign the national institutions. 

Dr Amjad appreciated the election of chairman Senate from Balochistan and said that it would decrease the sense of deprivation among the smaller provinces.

Meanwhile, Qaumi Watan Party, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) deputy general secretary Sultan Yousaf Bacha announced to become part of the APML with his supporters.

President APML KP Aurangzeb Khan Mohmand, Central President of APML Human Rights Wing Sahibzada Riaz Khan, Dr Abdul Karim, Mir Alam Khan and other APML leaders were also present on the occasion.