Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday rejected speculation linking the upcoming visit of Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal to the treason trial of former President Pervez Musharraf, saying the high-profile case was an internal issue.
“I have seen media reports. Very fascinating. When the UAE President arrived on a private visit for hunting, I read reports that he had come on a special flight and he would be taking former President Pervez Musharraf (with him),” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said. Now the issue is being linked with the Saudi minister’s visit, she told a weekly news briefing. The Saudi minister was invited to Pakistan after he met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last year.
“This is a very normal interaction between states,” Aslam said. Asked if there had been any communication between Pakistan and other countries over Musharraf, Aslam said: “It is a domestic issue. I don’t think it concerns anyone outside Pakistan. Not in this region or outside.” The government has set up a special court to try the 70-year-old Musharraf for treason for imposing emergency in 2007. He did not appear at the first two hearings because of security threats. Musharraf was due to appear for a hearing yesterday but fell sick on his way to court and was admitted to a military hospital in Rawalpindi.
The sudden sickness resulted in rumours that Musharraf would leave Pakistan as part of a secret deal brokered by international players. Some reports linked the Saudi minister’s visit to this purported clandestine arrangement.
The media yesterday buzzed with news of the visit, with some saying this was Riyadh’s attempt to rescue Musharraf, who is considered close to the Saudi regime. Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, however, ruled out the possibility that the government would allow Musharraf to leave Pakistan. (PTI)
Musharraf is the first military ruler to be put on trial for treason. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment or the death penalty. He is currently barred from travelling out of the country. (PTI)
