Islamabad: Pakistan’s ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf left the country early on Friday morning for medical treatment in Dubai, a day after the government allowed him to go abroad.
“I am a commando and I love my homeland. I will come back in a few weeks or months,” Musharraf was quoted by the Dawn.
Musharraf boarded an Emirates flight bound for Dubai that departed from Karachi airport at 3.55am (0425 IST), a media report said.
“He was the last person to be embarked on the plane and then the gate was closed. The retired general appeared relaxed,” the report said.
Musharraf, 72, has been facing a treason trial since 2013 and was barred from leaving the country in 2014 by the government. The order was declared as illegal by the Sindh high court the same year.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the decision of the Sindh high court, rejecting the government’s appeal. But it did not stop the federal government from putting new bars on Musharraf’s foreign tours.
Interior minister Nisar Ali Khan told a press briefing on Thursday that after consultation, the government decided to let Musharraf leave the country for treatment.
He said Musharraf’s lawyers had formally asked the government to allow him to undertake foreign travels.
“The government has decided to allow Musharraf to travel abroad for treatment. He has also committed he will face all cases against him in court,” Khan said.
He was referring to several cases against Musharraf, including the high treason charged in a special court for suspending the constitution in 2007 that has been declared under Article 6 as being punishable by death.
He was indicted in April, 2014 but since no progress has been made in the case since.
Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League said on Thursday Musharraf was suffering from a backbone problem and he needed to go to the UAE for medical aid.
It is believed that the decision to let Musharraf go out of the country will help heal a rift between the powerful army and the government, as the military was unhappy about a trial of its former leader.
Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, deposing the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, Musharraf was forced to resign as president and went into self-imposed exile in Dubai.
