PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The communication read:
To: General Pervez Musharraf
Subject: Deletion of name from ECL.
I am directed by the competent authority to communicate with you with reference to your request on the subject cited above dated March 31, 2014. The requests have been considered on the basis of record pronouncements of the superior courts on the cited subject and pending criminal cases in various courts. The federal government is unable to accede to your requests in public interest.
Sources privy to the developments and meetings say, however, that the vaguely-worded communique has its reasons - mostly political. It has been suggested that Musharraf's legal team approach relevant courts in order to have the defendant's name removed from the ECL (which is why it was placed on the ECL to begin with).
Last year, the Sindh High Court had put Musharraf’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL), asking him not to leave the country without seeking prior permission from the concerned courts.
Musharraf's lawyer Dr Farogh Naseem had already said that he would move the Supreme Court if the government did not respond favourably.
After the special court read out charges to Musharraf on March 31, and said that it did not have jurisdiction over the ECL matter and it was for the government to decide, Naseem had filed an application with the Interior Ministry to allow Musharraf to travel abroad to seek medical treatment and see his ailing mother.
An Interior Ministry official said that after a high-level meeting and deliberations it was decided that it would be a better option that any decision on the matter should be taken in light of a judicial order. “This is a win-win situation for all,” he added.
“It is more of a political decision and has minimal legal hurdles,” the interior ministry official told The Express Tribune. The government is perhaps weighing its options and possible repercussions of the decision, he added.
A day after the special court indicted General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on treason charges, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif consulted senior members of his party on whether or not to allow the former military ruler to travel abroad to seek medical treatment and see his ailing mother.
Most participants of the meeting – including Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Senators Raja Zafarul Haq and Sardar Mehtab Abbasi – opposed the idea of giving concessions to Musharraf.
Meanwhile, a member of Musharraf’s legal defence team, Rana Ejaz, on Wednesday stated that it was with “secret diplomacy” that Musharraf appeared in court and that the government had deceived Musharraf, Express News reported. Musharraf’s spokesperson Rashid Qureshi denied having any knowledge of Ejaz’s statements.
COMMENTS (24)
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@Jehan Zeb: I said nothing about this case being illegal. Please read my comments carefully. What I stated is the gov't cannot hold Musharraf legally, meaning the court has already said there is no reason to have his name on the ECL. Yet Nawaz Sharif uses the court's excuse. The world knows it is a personal vendatta and nothing else. Why else is Musharraf singled out while the aiders and abettors who under Article 6 are equally liable of treason sit in the assemblies and are in the NS government as well? This gov't and its supporters are two-faced.
@M A Mujeeb: sheikh Rasheed is the most untrustworthy person in Pakistan. On many occasions he has backed out of his words. He is rightly being denied visas by different countries.
@Jehan Zeb: There is a wrong notion in the minds of some of the supporters of Nawaz Shareef that he was not allowed to attend his father's funeral. Shaikh Rasheed, who was a Minister in Musharraf's cabinet, disclosed on a TV show a couple of days back that Shareefs were allowed one week to attend the funeral of their father but they refused the offer as they wanted more than one week for attending the burial which was disagreed by the Musharraf Government. So please stop this non-sense that Shareefs were not allowed to burry their father.
Musharaf should be allowed to go abroad only after he apologizes and promises not to return.
I think just like Saudi Royal Family guaranteed for NS, similarly if nobody from outside is willing to help him.A prominent person from MQM,PML-Q or Shaikh Rasheed can do that. One of the party leaders can provide a personal guarantee to the SHC (who put Musharraf's name on the ECL) that he/she would face the proceedings and the penalty if Musharraf doesn't come back.This would not only make a way for Musharraf to visit his ailing mother but also increase the political stature of his. After all,they all have faith in Musharraf...or don't they?
Nawaz Sharif is on right course and making bold decisions. He is consolidating his position as real statesman. no one else would have made such a courageous decision. The nation need to come around and support him whole heartedly. in fact the entire nation minus MQM is behind this decision. If at one point he thinks, it is in the best interest of the nation and let him go, we still need to understand the myriad of issue the nation is facing. well done Nawaz. Thanks very much for not disappointing us.
@Ali Pakistani: wild accusations does not help. pl mention any single corruption instance since this gov came in this year?
@ishrat salim: the real question is who is not corrupt. Are the generals not?
@Pakistani Patriot: Patriot Sahib how you become the judge and declared his case illegal? How make interpretation of the law? do the nation has to follow your interpretation or the judiciary
@I am a Khan: Khan Sahib, where were human values when Nawaz Sharif was not allowed to burry his father. Let us not talk about human values. When the entire high judiciary of the country was arrested along with their families where were these values
shame on musharraf to use his mother's illness as an excuse to escape the country. He used to be my hero - but his behavior in the past few months is nothing short of shocking and ridiculous. His legal team have made a fool of themselves and are routinely trying to put wool on everybody's eyes. They have conducted themselves rather unprofessionally and in any other country - would have been in contempt of court (esp. Mr.Kasuri). They keep trying new tricks every other week to escape the ambit of the law and their audacity is amazing.
The current govt has been patient tolerating this circus and it is time to bring down the curtains. If Musharraf wants to get treated, he can spend money and fly in the best doctors that he needs for his 'ailment'. Same goes for his current situation with his mother. The sooner we end this the better for everyone and the nation can move on.
The face-saving formula has already been reached amongst the three parties ie govt, judiciary and the military. The indiction of Musharraf has saved blushes from the first two and pressure from the last one to avoid any punishment to their former top brass would be taken care of after playing a drama between govt and the judiciary. The General has already packed his bags and ready move out of the country at short notice.
@Raees Ahmad:
Either u r ignorant or intellectually bankrupt....little knowledge is a dangerous thing...the whole world has acknowledged that our politicians are the most corrupt people in the community of nation....& u claim that they r not corrupt ? in which world r u living ?....may b you are one of their team member....that is all that I can say !
If I were Musharraf, I would not proceed to courts regarding ECL. Nawaz League wants to do politics behind courts, and is looking for court to indirectly bail it out. And if Musharraf manages to go abroad following a court order, Nawaz League will continue to trash him for years to come. Bottom line: he should not have returned. Now he should stay unless Nawaz League withdraws.
We Pakistani are short memory people now we are saying corrupt to politician to defend mush ,who was symbol of evil as a ruler ! God help us
Cat and mouse games by the cowards of this government. They are afraid of Musharraf politically who hardly has any political party at this time. They know that legally they cannot hold him so they are using the crutches of their judiciary friends to hold him. A strong prime minister would have taken a clear stance and made a decision himself - but this is not a true lion but a kitten's party (PMLN).