Flight of a former president

Former dictators have a tendency of posing problems for succeeding civilian governments. Crimes are inevitably committed by dictatorial regimes in order to consolidate power and quash any real or perceived threats. When removed from office, usually quite unceremoniously, the dictator leaves behind a legacy of cover-ups and rumoured misdeeds. It is then up to the new government and the people to deal with this legacy as they see fit. In the case of our own deposed dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, his ill-fated return to the country in 2013 was seen by many as an opportunity to take him to court for his alleged crimes. He was charged with treason for declaring a state of emergency in 2007 and there is also a trial pending in his alleged role in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The proceedings have been slow, keeping in line with our country’s long-held reluctance to expedite the judicial process, especially in political cases. Meanwhile, General (retd) Musharraf has ostensibly been facing health problems and he has continually requested for his name to be removed from the Exit Control List to enable him to travel abroad for treatment. On March 18, he flew to Dubai after his request was finally granted by the government. Before leaving, he promised that he would return to the country soon. A promise that the government has touted as proof of goodwill on his part in order to defend this decision, which has left those hoping for a prosecution, severely disappointed. The government may be choosing to give weight to General (retd) Musharraf’s promise to return and face the charges that have been brought against him, but for others, the former ruler’s words ring hollow. For all intents and purposes, the efforts to bring him to justice are at an indefinite standstill. It is clear for all to see that rather than making serious attempts to uphold the law of the land and set the right precedent for the future, the Musharraf case was highly ill-planned by the authorities and has been more of an exercise of settling personal scores from the outset. One cannot help but feel that the cause of justice, in this case, has not been served.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2016.

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