Musharraf fears arrest; postpones return to Pakistan
Fearing arrest Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf today decided not to return home from self-exile by this month end as promised.
"Musharraf may not return to Pakistan this month," Muhammad Ali Saif, a spokesman of former President said. The announcement came as the government made it clear that the 68-year-old former General, who has been declared a fugitive by a court will be arrested on his return to Pakistan.
An arrest warrant is pending against him for his alleged failure to cooperate in the probe of assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Musharraf who left the country in 2009 is also an accused in the killing of Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Bugti in a military operation in August 2006.
"Close friends are advising him against returning now," Saif told reporters. Leaders of Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League told the media that he had delayed his plans to return to Pakistan later this month after consulting friends and party leaders.
He sought to put a positive spin on the development by saying that Musharraf had been advised by his aides that his return at this juncture would provide "relief" to the government which is grappling with several crises.
Musharraf had announced earlier this month that he intended to fly into the port city of Karachi between January 27 and 30. Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the Senate or upper house of parliament yesterday that Musharraf would be arrested under the law of the land whenever he arrives in Pakistan.
"The moment he lands, he will go to jail," he said.
