Party: Musharraf reassessing return home after government warning
By the CNN Wire Staff
updated 5:58 AM EST, Thu January 19, 2012
Musharraf plans return to Pakistan
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- The announcement comes a day after Pakistan says it will arrest him
- Interior ministry says the former president will be arrested as soon as he lands
- He is wanted in connection with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto
- Musharraf has rejected the accusations, saying Bhutto took unnecessary risks
Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is reassessing a planned return home after the government warned he will be detained as soon as he sets foot in the nation, his political party said Thursday.
Musharraf, who has been in exile for three years, was scheduled to return between January 27 and 30, the head of the party said
Aides have advised him that the embattled government could use his return to divert attention from its political problems, prompting a reassessment of the dates, according to Muhammad Ali Saif, secretary-general of the All Pakistan Muslim League party.
The announcement comes a day after Pakistan reiterated it will arrest him if he returns home from his self-imposed exile.
Musharraf would be taken into custody the moment he lands in Pakistani in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, according to Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
The former military ruler resigned and fled Pakistan in 2008, and has been living in London and Dubai.
Saif has called Malik's threat an "empty" one.
"We are ready to face every situation," Saif said, adding that Musharraf plans to return.
Musharraf recently announced his intention to run in next year's elections in a speech to thousands of supporters in the southern city of Karachi via video link from Dubai. He said he accepted the risk of arrest and understood that his life might be endangered as well.
"It's not a bed of roses leading Pakistan, governing Pakistan," he said. "It's a thorny issue. ... It's very, very difficult. We are a country of many diversities, and as you said, you have to risk your life, and you have to burn midnight oil -- you have to work extremely hard to understand and to deliver. You are risking your comfort and your life."
Musharraf asked that he be judged on his entire record, not by the end of his presidency, when he was the target of protests and a coalition of opposition parties moved to impeach him. He left Pakistan shortly thereafter.
In 2010, the United Nations released a report that said Musharraf's government had failed to protect Bhutto before her 2007 assassination.
Musharraf has rejected the accusations, saying that Bhutto had police protection and took unnecessary risks. But a Pakistani court issued a warrant for his arrest.
Musharraf seized power in 1999 in Pakistan's third military coup and became the South Asian nation's fourth military ruler.
If he returns, it would be in the middle of a public squabble between Pakistan's civilian and uniformed leadership that was sparked by a memo that allegedly asked for U.S. help to rein in the all-powerful military.
Journalist Nasir Habib and Shann Khan contributed to this report
Part of complete coverage on
updated 7:50 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
It's an outside-the-box solution, says Clyde Prestowitz, but the German government can save Greece by reissuing its beloved deutsche mark.
updated 5:33 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Images of slaughter in the Syrian town of Houla provoked outrage around the world, but sometimes outrage isn't enough to spur action, says Tim Lister.
updated 3:56 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Alleged poison attacks against students in Afghanistan show the fragility of the country's transition, says Gayle Lemmon.
updated 5:38 AM EDT, Fri June 1, 2012
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout examines "douchebag" behavior on Twitter and finds it's actually worse to be a bore than a douche.
updated 5:27 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Airport dining doesn't have to be terminal, as a new wave of eateries elevates cuisine above the level of greasy burgers and wilting sushi.
updated 7:10 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Andrew Keen says our self esteem is determined by our use of social media -- so let's embrace tech which lets data degenerate over time.
updated 7:27 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Republican Graham Smith argues why the UK monarchy should be consigned to the history books.
CNN's Richard Quest rails against the censorious ratings warnings placed on inflight movies.
updated 12:06 PM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Queen Elizabeth was criticized for being aloof after Princess Diana's death in 1997. But one royal insider says that wasn't the case.
updated 5:45 AM EDT, Wed May 30, 2012
Businessman Christian Stadil believes firms must care about more than money and that corporate social responsibility helps attract talented workers.
updated 11:08 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
It's hard being a female busineswoman in a country where women need permission to work or travel. But some try.
updated 3:31 AM EDT, Mon May 28, 2012
How law enforcement agencies are readying themselves for this month's Euro 2012 soccer tournament.
updated 8:53 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
Adoptions from Africa have surged three-fold in eight years -- but campaigners fear that children from the continent are becoming commodities.
updated 7:17 AM EDT, Thu May 31, 2012
He's been running all his life, running for freedom, running for peace. Now Reza Baluchi is heading for Mt. Everest by running across the Middle East.
updated 7:13 AM EDT, Tue May 29, 2012
An old meatpacking plant in Chicago is being transformed into an eco farm, which its founders say will produce food sustainably with zero waste.
Most popular stories right now
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|