Pervez Musharraf Successfully Exits Pakistan

Pervez Musharraf, the former President of Pakistan, managed to leave Pakistan despite facing serious charges such as treason and traveled to Dubai. According to Agence France-Presse, Mr. Musharraf left his residence in Karachi under heavy security on Friday morning and headed to the airport. He had been barred from leaving the country for three years due to accusations including ordering the dismissal of judges, directing a military assault on the Red Mosque in Islamabad, treason for declaring a state of emergency, and involvement in the assassination of former People's Party leader Benazir Bhutto. However, his lawyers stated that the Supreme Court of Pakistan granted him permission to leave due to his urgent need for medical treatments unavailable in Pakistan. Abdul Hai Kakar, a reporter for Radio Mashaal, a subsidiary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, commented on Musharraf's departure and the hidden influences behind it, saying, 'The Pakistani military has always had the upper hand in the politics of this country. The military could not be satisfied with the trial of its former commander, and there have usually been tensions between the current Chief of Army Staff and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over this issue. The military has the power to intervene in all matters of the country. Any individual or institution in Pakistan must consider the role of the military when making decisions. Similarly, the government is also in fear of the military, which is why both decided to allow General Pervez Musharraf to leave the country.' Amjad Malik, Musharraf's spokesperson, quoted him as saying that his stay abroad would last between six to eight weeks, after which he would return to Pakistan to answer the charges against him. Musharraf was acquitted about three months ago of charges related to the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti, a leader of the Baloch insurgents in 2006, but serious other charges against him remain. Abdul Hai Kakar mentioned the reactions against the issuance of permission for the former president's exit, stating, 'One of the opposing parties is the current government of Pakistan that issued his exit permit, and the next is the People's Party, led by Bilawal Bhutto. He criticized this action, saying that Mr. Musharraf should not have been allowed to leave the country.' Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of Benazir Bhutto and leader of the Pakistan People's Party, stated that the Pakistani government has lost its moral credibility with the people by granting Musharraf an escape permit. He said protests against this action would be held across the country. Pervez Musharraf, who was the Chief of Army Staff before the 1999 coup, overthrew Nawaz Sharif's government in that year with a bloodless coup and took over the presidency. He had been under house arrest for the past three years, but his case had never been fully examined, and his trial was always postponed. This uncertainty in Pakistan's judicial system led some people to believe that the government lacks the will to prosecute Musharraf because it does not want to provoke the military.