ISLAMABAD - All Pakistan Muslim League Chairman General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said that he was all set to return back to the country but he had certain reservations regarding the Supreme Court’s order not to arrest him till he appears before the court.

Had he been arrested after appearing before the court, there was no use of his coming back to the country, he said in a telephonic press conference at his party Secretariat here.

“Everybody knows it well that I am not coward,” Musharraf said adding that he would definitely return back but waiting for an appropriate time.

He dismissed the speculations that he would never come back and said that he wanted to serve the people of Pakistan and that would only be possible that he would be allowed to do so.

To a question about NAB’s probe into his assets, he said: “I live in a three bedroom apartment. The NAB should and must investigate my assets and I would tell them everything”.

Before his telephonic interaction with media men, Musharraf addressed APML’s National Assembly candidates and have discussion over the party’s election campaign and other related issues.

Addressing the party candidates, Musharraf said that it was his utmost desire to return before the elections to himself run election campaign but under present circumstances, it was not wise to return.

“Supreme Court had directed authorities not to arrest me till I appear before the court. If I could be arrested later on, my return have had served no purpose. I am not a coward and everybody knows I had earned medals for chivalry. To serve my party and people of Pakistan, I would return to the country at an appropriate time,” he said in response to the questions of some of the party leaders who wanted him back before the elections.

APML President Dr Muhammad Amjad said that Pervez Musharraf was willing to return back but the Supreme Court in a hurried manner gave insufficient time under which arrangements for his travel, accommodation and security was not possible.

Dr Amjad alleged that the caretaker government also not wanted Musharraf’s return as they blocked his CNIC and passport when the Supreme Court asked him to come back.

He said that the APML would fully contest the upcoming elections from all over Pakistan. The APML is just eight years old and during this short span of time, the party chairman remained in Pakistan for three years only. For the last 5 years he was abroad. The time Musharraf had spent in the country he behind the bars and his movement was restricted. Despite all these odds, APML is surviving and it will contest elections from all over the country.

Dr Amjad said that the politicians took Pakistan’s money abroad and purchased expensive properties there. General Musharraf had served Pakistan Army for 35 years and 10 years he remained in the government. He had not taken away money from Pakistan to purchase properties abroad.

He said that the former PML-N government and the caretaker set-up has not put Nawaz Sharif’s name on ECL despite the fact that NAB requested the government. Whereas the time Musharraf spent in the country, his name was consistently on the ECL. Dr Amjad said that this discriminatory attitude should not be adopted and everybody should be provided with equal opportunities.