Pakistan's environment is favourable for my return: Musharraf

DUBAI: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has said Pakistan's current environment is favourable for his return and he will definitely come back to the country.

Addressing the media in Dubai on Friday, the former president while responding to a question said, "I have two courses open — first is that I do not go at all. But how can I not go? Pakistan is my country and my roots are there. There is no question that I don't go. I will definitely go but there is one way of jumping and going all of a sudden like fools and the other is waiting a little. The environment is better now in my opinion, the political environment favours that I go back."

In the current government, half of the ministers are those who were part of my cabinet, he added. "The law minister is my own and the attorney general is my own lawyer."

Dismissing reports that he is critically ill, Musharraf said, "An impression is being given that I am suffering with an illness owning to which I cannot move. I have no such issue.”

Regarding his political party, Musharraf said, “Our party [All Pakistan Muslim League] is being reorganised and Hidayatullah Khaishgi will be its new chairman.”

“Our party has no interest in destabilising the current [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] government, in fact, I feel if we have an interest in keeping Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari out of politics as they destroyed the country. This government has made a third political force and we fully support it,” he added.

On Pakistan and India's relations in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, Musharraf suggested establishing relations with Israel to counter New Delhi. The former president mentioned his initiatives for making contacts with Israeli leadership with the help of Turkey in 2005 and said, "The Israeli leadership had responded within 24 hours of my meeting’s offer. Israel wants to create better relations with Pakistan."