Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has “conceded to his exile in London” and made up his mind not to return to Pakistan in the wake of the Supreme Court’s verdict that the emergency imposed by him in 2007 was unconstitutional, according to one of his close aides.
Musharraf has also given up his plans to enter the political arena as the odds are against him, senior PML-Q leader Faisal Saleh Hayat, who served as a federal minister in the former President’s regime, said.
Hayat recently met Musharraf in London for consultations in connection with the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The ruling has raised the possibility of Musharraf being tried for treason. However, such a trial can only be initiated by the government.
Musharraf was “perturbed” by statements made by main opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif against him and has been asking his supporters to issue rejoinders against them, Hayat told The News daily.
Hayat said he advised Musharraf to come back to Pakistan to contest all cases against him.
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“You must create your credibility first as you ditched the party (PML-Q) that provided the support that was required by you for your survival. But you unfortunately struck an underhand deal with late (former premier) Benazir Bhutto. If you are keen to try your luck in politics, then you must return to Pakistan to fight against the allegations (made against you),” Hayat told Musharraf.
Hayat said when Musharraf sought his advice on returning to politics, he told the former President not to do so as people in Pakistan do not “remember him as a redeemer.”
He said he believed Musharraf was “living in illusions” and was under the impression that he “was genuinely popular among the masses and his policies were adored by the people.”
“I advised him to come out of the mental framework of a commando and try to become a political animal,” Hayat said.
“I think Pervez Musharraf will opt to enjoy his life in Europe,” he said, adding the former President had “conceded to his exile in London.”
Musharraf left Pakistan in mid-April to deliver a series of lectures abroad. Since then he has travelled to several countries before moving into a flat in London.