Musharraf may leave Pakistan this month: US media

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former military ruler, General (retired) Pervez Musharraf who is facing treason charges is expected to leave the country this month, according to US media reports.

A report in 'The Los Angeles Times' states that officials close to Pakistan’s security services said Musharraf could depart within days. "It is good for everybody — including Musharraf — that he would go out of the country,” said a senior security official in Islamabad, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

A family member of Musharraf and a Pakistani intelligence official told CBS news that the former president was expected to leave the country for medical treatment in exile. Musharraf’s cousin told CBS News that the former leader’s doctors were already seeking medical appointments for him in Britain during the second half of January, “to make certain that the treatment begins as soon as he lands in the UK.”

A western diplomat quoted by CBS was under the impression that the Army may try to discourage the government from putting one of its former chiefs on trial. “He is, after all, in a military hospital right now. From there he is more than likely to go into exile for purposes of medical treatment,” said the diplomat.

Pervez Musharraf was rushed to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) on January 2. Musharraf was being driven to court to appear before the special bench hearing the treason case when he complained of chest pains.

On January 7, Musharraf’s medical report was submitted in court which stated that the former president was suffering from nine medical conditions. Musharraf was also granted a two day exemption from the court.