Never requested Raheel Sharif to help me leave Pak, says Musharraf

DUBAI: Ex-President General Musharraf said on Monday that he never asked for help from former Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif to flee from the country.

In an interview given to a private news channel, Musharraf said he never contacted and neither was approached on the issue from any authority, further specifying that Gen (R) Raheel Sharif never discussed his cases with him and he never sent any request to him.

He said that media channels were manipulating his previous statement based on general assumptions.

Earlier, Musharraf said he was under pressure from judges and the government and it was former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Raheel Sharif who helped take that pressure off him.

In an interview to a private news channel, Musharraf thanked General (retd) Raheel Sharif for his help. Musharraf said he had also served as the Army chief and as General (retd) Raheel’s boss. “This is why he helped me,” Musharraf said.

According to Musharraf political cases were lodged against him and his name was placed in the exit control list (ECL).

In reply to a question Musharraf said, “The courts work under pressure and give verdicts accordingly. The former Army Chief helped reduce that pressure.”

Former President General retired Pervez Musharraf left the country in March this year for Dubai where he has already restarted his political activities.

Musharraf, 70, is facing a number of high profile cases, including murder and high treason. He was indicted for treason last year over his imposition of emergency rule in 2007.