Why Musharraf is unlikely to ever take flight back to Islamabad

ISLAMABAD - Reports are that former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf is contemplating staging a come back on the political stage of the country, and has even registered a political party by the name of All Pakistan Muslim League, but veteran politicians and experts believe that it is unlikely that the former general would take a flight back home from London, where he is currently living in an unannounced exile.

Musharraf himself has said that he would return to Pakistan if the people of the country ask him to do so and he garners sufficient support.

But with numerous pending cases against him in various courts across Pakistan and the opposition, particularly the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) pushing for his high treason trial, Musharraf’s return seems to be a distant dream.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said Musharraf might have initiated his return by launching a new party, but is highly unlikely that any prominent personality will join his force.

“I don’t think any politician worth the name will join the new party. But some of those who are neither here nor there in the political field may choose to align themselves with it just to be in the limelight,” The News quoted Hussain, as saying.

Even Musharraf’s confidants say there is no point in taking the risk of facing detention on return by the former president when the overall situation in Pakistan is hostile and unfavourable for him and there have been demands for his arrest and trial.

During a recent television interview, Tariq Aziz, once Musharraf’s right hand man and the former secretary of the National Security Council, said the his ‘boss’ will not return to Pakistan.

Aziz did not mention the time and period as to when Musharraf would return, but his statement confirmed that he would not board a flight to Islamabad unless the situation in Pakistan changes ‘radically’.

“It would be Musharraf’s own judgment to come back to Pakistan or stay abroad,’ said another Musharraf loyalist Mohammad Ali Durrani. (ANI)