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Musharraf will be arrested when he returns: Manzoor Wassan
Wassan says government has received warrants for Musharraf’s arrest, arrangements made to send him to Landhi Jail.
The home minister said that Musharraf will be sent to C-Class prison, which may be changed to A-Class if the court orders it. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan said on Monday that former president Pervez Musharraf will be arrested from the airport when he returns.
Speaking to the media, Wassan said that the government had received warrants for Musharraf’s arrest and arrangements had been made to send him to Landhi Jail.
The home minister said that Musharraf will be sent to C-Class prison, which may be changed to A-Class if the court orders it.
Musharraf had announced that he would return to Pakistan between January 27 and 30, despite ‘baseless’ court cases.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik had earlier stated that, “Proclaimed offenders like Musharraf should be arrested.”
The former general is wanted in various high-profile cases pending in local courts, including his alleged involvement in former premier Benazir Bhutto’s murder, the interior minister had said.
Earlier, senior special prosecutor Azhar Chaudhry had also said that Musharraf will be arrested on his return to Pakistan.
Azhar, who is representing the federation in Benazir Bhutto’s murder case, said there is no need to issue new warrants for his arrest since the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi has already issued arrest warrants in the case.
Musharraf untroubled by warrants, will return as per schedule
Speaking via telephone on Express News show “Kal Tak”hosted by Javed Chaudhry, former Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf has said that he was not going to alter his plans to return to the country, despite news that warrants had been issued for his arrest upon arrival.
“I am ready to face all problems,” was Mushrarraf’s short answer in reply to Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wasan’s statement that he had received warrants for Musharraf’s arrest.
The former President went on to add that while there was a warrant out for his arrest, it was for non appearance in court than for anything related to the case directly “court has declared me absconder for not appearing before court.” He claimed that he was not particularly troubled by the warrant, “my legal team is looking into it.”
Asked whether he would be able to visit different cities of Pakistan through any sort of deal with the government, Musharraf categorically stated that there was no arrangement with the government “there is no deal with the government.”
When Chaudhary asked about Musharraf’s trip to Saudi Arabia before coming to Pakistan, Musharraf confirmed the trip but differed over the purpose, “I will be visiting Saudi Arabia on January 23 . . . for Umra . . . don’t know yet whether I will meet with King Abdullah or not.”
DawnNews on Monday reported that Musharraf had spoken with General Ashfaq Kayani over his return to the country.
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good.
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I think Musharraf will return only after making sure that he will not be arrested.
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So, WASSAN tries to arrest a former COAS . I can not believe it until i watch it
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Let us wait and see.
I have a very strong feeling he will not be arrested
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and it certainly not gonna happen. Period.
From,
a mango citizen.
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empty vessels make the most noise. the govt is trying to just scare him. Bet they cant arrest a single politician. try doing it to an ex president. Pak will become an even bigger laughing stock that it already is.
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At max. I see house arrest. After all he is ex president and COAS. Respect.
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no one can arrest the technocrat..he will come and rule
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From the core of my heart I wish that Musharraf returns to Pakistan. Not like that I am a supporter of Gen. Pervez Musharraf but for the fact that I want to see how impartial, gutsy, free and fair our courts are going to be while hearing cases against an Ex-COAS… Watch on… Picture abhi baqi hai :P
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“Musharraf will be sent to C-Class prison” oh really Wassan Jee?? Let us wait and see. Musharraf is ex-President and ex-General/COAS of the country. OK we will wait untill he arrives back to Pakistan.
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No he won’t!
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@Anserali Khan:
I agree.
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arrest him! hahah.. Musharraf former army chief.. arrested on rubbish politicized cases.. as if musharraf telepathically came in bb head to rise above the vehicle.. lol.. musharraf has already said to aljazeera he has not asked the army for security and will make his own arrangements.. he further said he has support from large number of army officers!.. elite SSG Commandos security will be around him when he lands….. which police officer has the guts to arrest him.. if we go back in time 1999 when a major and a colonel with a few soldiers approachd sharifs to arrest him the hundered police commandoes.. and police vehicles which sharif used to stop the army.. did nothin… Musharraf may have made mistakes.. but he is not the cause of Benazirs death nor Bugtis.. secondly… army wud never allow an incompetent and corrupt government to arrest him.. change is coming.. be it the khan or musharrafs.. pakistan first..Recommend
Shame on this government! What are they arresting Musharraf for? Just because he served Pakistan for 9 difficult years?
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Manzoor Wassan:
You should stick to your words.
Don’t show your back to us when Musharraf will arrive Karachi on the given date and also don’t go on sick leave on this auspicious date.
The whole nation is watching you, minute to minute and second to second.
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Do they have the guts to arrest him ?
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@Really:
why dont you ask him directly instead of ET.
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How can you arrest somebody who served this country and not fill his swiss account by public money and have all big rich sucking blood of poor Pakistani running loose.
Ask the nation who they think should be behind the bars and this poor Pakistani will surprise you .Recommend
so wait..he gets a guard of honor!.. stays in the country for 9 months and leaves on his will and now hes returning to be arrested on arrival!.. seriously what credibility does the government have..
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The way Musharaf went out from the country’ now the same way he will come back! At his departure a deal was negotiated , now the same will be done before his arrival. Let us see, why all of a sudden he made his mind to jump in the already troubled situation ?
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All the cases against Musharraf are politically motivated. 1)- He did not order BB to open the sun-roof of her bomb-proof SUV and play the crowd on the open road. Due to the deployment thousands of policemen and commandos, and other strict arrangements, nothing unpleasant happened inside Liaquat Bagh where she delivered her last speech. Another logical question is; What did Musharraf gain as the result of BB murder? 2)- Bhugti was killed in a military operation with a number of other officers and jawans of the Army due to the collapse of the cave where he took refuge. May be, Bhugti himself blasted the cave to kill the officers and jawans who came in to arrest him and committed “khudkosh hamla”. 3)- As far as Lal Masjid is concerned, it was absolutely necessary to “nip the evil in the bud”. 4)-When it comes to the charge of violating the Constitution, didn’t PCO CJ violate it on many occasions? Didn’t Nawaz Sharif orchestrate the physical attack on Supreme Court? Why single out Musharraf only? 5)- Some people blame Musharraf for terrorism and bomb blasts in Pakistan but nothing is far from the truth. He is not responsible for terrorism in Pakistan (or bringing the US war to Pakistan). America or Afghanistan’s war, whatever you call it, has been brought by those forces who use Pakistan’s soil against NATO forces in Afghanistan and against Pakistani nation as well. If militants can cross over from North and South Wiziristan into Afghanistan to launch attacks on NATO forces, so does the US has the right to target them with drones. If we could have controlled these terrorists from staging attacks in Afghanistan, there would not have been any drone attacks.Recommend
Although I am not a Musharraf supporter, I do believe that he has surrounded himself smart advisers. I think he will be arrested when he arrives and will exert his Presidential immunity. Govt. will find itself letting him walk because they really have no desire to arrest him. Musharraf’s presence on the political scene steals votes away from the MQM, couple that with the release of Afaq, and the rise of Imran and suddenly Pakistan’s primarily urdu speaking, sechular leaning, middle class has some options on where to vote that they didn’t have before.
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The entire cabal of so-called parliamentarians, judges, mullaahs, corrupt lawyers, corrupt media men, lal-masjid terroists, Bughti etc. etc. roam free and we will arrest the Man that without doubt had the country running where it was once the leading economy in the region — You people deserve the savages you have to rule over you!Recommend
@Maira, Not asking ET only but also ET comment adders / viewers
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Just watch with envy when 4 star general Musharraf is whisked from the airport by SSG commandos with full protocol. Well deserved too for serving Pakistan unlike the current minions who’re pathetic usurpers.
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Well said Ishtair hussain.. the man has fought wars.. for this country what has ppp pmln done for the country!… common man knows wants musharraf and khan..
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Why do they want to arrest Musharraf? 1)- Because he freed Pakistan from the clutches of IMF which the present government has again trapped us into. 2)- because during his times, the country’s economy was one of the most fast growing ones in the world. 3)- because under his watch, the incidence of poverty fell from 34 percent in 1999 to 17 percents in 2008. 4)- because he saved Pakistan from becoming another Iraq or Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11. 5)- because he sent thousands of bright young men and women on foreign scholarships and quadruppled the budget of HEC in a short time. 6)- because he completed Islamabad-Peshawar and Pindibhatian-Faisalabad motorways, Mirani Dam, Ghomalzam Dam, Kachi Cannal, Ghazi Barotha Power project, Mangla Dam Upraising project, Satpara Dam, Lohari Top tunnel and many other mega projects. 7)- because during his time, dollar was strictly kept at around 60 rupees which helped keep check on inflation. 8)- because he introduced digital and telecommunication revolution in Pakistan which created hundreds of thousands of jobs and offered value-added services to tens of millions of customers 9)- because he introduced scores of TV channels and brought internet to almost every doorstep in the country. 10)- because he introduced local bodies and put check on the excesses of police through comprehensive police reforms. 11)- because during his times, stock exchange boomed and created trillions of rupees of wealth for all Pakistanis. 12)- because he brought Pakistan from complete isolation back in 1999 into the centre-stage of international politics and diplomacy. 13)- because he defends the interests of Pakistan on different international forums in the face of intense anti-Pakistan sentiments in the Western and Indian media.
If these are the crimes of Musharraf, go and hang him. Pakistanis are Pakistan’s worst enemies and put the blame for all their ills on RAW, CIA, Mossad and surely on Musharraf.
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I am counting anxiously every minute, every second till he comes back, i’ll be happiest person when he gets arrested and tried in court.
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@Thames Fisher:
You are absolutely right.
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musharraf will not be arrested mark my words
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Vienna,January 9, 2012
Here comes an airborne commando general who launched a successfull
coup as a military passenger in October 1999 without uniform of course.
But he has the same black top on hair going grey. The uniformed men
were his men now fighting for sovereign right before the Supreme Court.
Apparently he has advanced his home coming by two months to catch
up with the hotting up events.A play without rehearsal. Watch out for
full thrilling entertainment.May be he is landing via Entebbe airport after
consulting with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India
–Kulamarva Balakrishna
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Musharraf is returning to pakistan willing to face the courts clear his name. Similarly the Govt should write to swiss courts so zardari can defend his innocence. Shareef should also Face his corruption cases regarding money laundering. They should all go to courts to clear there names if they are innocent. Whats there to hide?? Musharraf seems brave enough lets see if zardari n sharif can be brave enough :-PRecommend
Why is Sindh home minister issuing statements ? BB was killed in Rawalpindi. Either the Federal interior minister should be making statements or the Punjab interior minister.Recommend
So now they are trying to stop a former commando general, who has fought more than three wars, with arrest threats…
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Imagine what would have happened, had Nawaz Sharif or Zardari been at the helm of affairs in Pakistan at the time of 9/11? Pakistan would have been another Afghanistan or Iraq.
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Has this guy actually checked with Kayani yet, before making such statements ????
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He should be arrested of all the sins, the biggest sin was his deal that pave the way to most incompetent Government in the history of Pakistan..Jaye Jamhuriyat
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how do all the readers here forget that he was responsible for lal masjid massacre at the verest of chinese authorities.Recommend
He is former COAS not your average prime minister. Not many in Pakistan would be surprised if Wassan was arrested before Musharraf :)
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lal masjid massacre… mr taseer we had eyes.. they were not angels.. inside.. that mosque.. they were armed to the teeth.. rpgs.. ak47,, what masjid is this.. a ranger official was killed by these thugs… seriously only blind ppl can question and label it as massacre … im sure for u bugti must also be a saint
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We are with you sir .
you been in army and a jail is nothing for you.
show the enemy what ur capable of.
best of luck
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eX president ok fine but eX chief of army :O really i don;t know why i dont want to believe this but odds are against him, many cases specially lal majid and bugti, sure he will come back with guarantee.
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@Minhas, yes bring on the army and blast all the non angels and to top it off don’t call it a massacre
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@hedgefunder, thankfully since you are indian musharraf’s security is irrelevant to you.
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@USMANm:
Its not about being an Indian, its more of being an Taxpayer of UK and Officer of Court and a Subject of ERII, to see that my money is being wasted on Aid to Pakistan !
Get the point?
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