Interior minister has no clue about Musharraf’s return

Ijaz Shah says he also read about former president homecoming on newspapers

ISLAMABAD:

Former President General Pervez Musharraf might very well be putting an end to his 3-year -long self-exile and returning to Pakistan on May 1 to face a high treason trial.

However, the country’s top security czar has no information in this regard.

Counsel for Musharraf, Salman Safdar, said on Saturday told media that despite his deteriorating medical condition, the former military ruler was determined to appear before the Special Court which has been conducting his trial since 2013 for subverting the Constitution in November 2007.

However, to a question about Musharraf’s return plan, Interior Minister Ijaz Shah on Monday said: “I have come to know about the former president’s possible return through newspapers but have not received and information in this regard.”



Shah, who was head of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) during later half of Musharraf’s era, was addressing journalists during a visit to the police lines in Islamabad.  To a question about the religious parties’ possible sit-in in Islamabad after Eid, the interior minister said: Allah will improve matters”.

“Hope makes the world go round. There will be peace and prosperity in the coming days,” he added.

The minister thanked the Islamabad inspector general police (IGP) for inviting him to police lines and said the police have rendered unparalleled sacrifices for maintaining peace in the country.

He said after the 18th amendment, the law and order situation is responsibility of the provinces. “Sindh chief minister will be asked about the law and order situation in Sindh,” he added.

Earlier, Shah received a guard of honor when he reached the police lines. He inaugurated the fire arms simulator and also went to memorial of martyrs and prayed for the departed souls.

He also visited the School of Information and planted a sapling there. The interior minister was accompanied by Islamabad IG Amir Zulfiqar Khan and other senior police officers. He was also briefed on working of police and the law and order situation in the capital.