ISLAMABAD: Amid rumours in the federal capital, former president retired General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday evening left for Karachi for the treatment of his backbone at PNS Shifa.

Sources close to Gen Musharraf told Dawn that the 74-year-old former military ruler developed a space in his vertebrae and his personal neurosurgeon at the PNS Shifa had advised him to visit the medical facility for a detailed check-up and therapy.

The sources said Gen Musharraf would stay in Karachi for about five to six days. The doctor also advised him to stay in the hospital for at least four days after which he would take rest in some private residence for a couple of days before flying back to Islamabad.

The sources ruled out the possibility Musharraf’s meeting with any politician during his stay in Karachi and said the visit of the former president to Karachi was purely for medical treatment.

It may be mentioned that on January 2, Gen Musharraf was shifted to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi after he developed cardiac unrest while on way to the special court seized with the high treason case against him. From the AFIC, he was shifted to his Chak Shahzad farmhouse on April 3. Musharraf travelled to Karachi on a special flight.

While Musharraf was leaving for Karachi, rumours gripped the federal capital that he was not likely to come back as his next destination would be UAE.

A close aide of Gen Musharraf requesting anonymity said there were some positive developments and things were being settled in favour of the former military ruler who had to face fabricated cases since he returned to the country in March last year.

He expressed the hope that all the issues with regard to Gen Musharraf would be settled in 10 days.

Mohammad Akram Sheikh, the head of the prosecution team in the treason case, was of the view that since the special court had not stopped Musharraf from travelling within the country, he can go to Karachi or any other place of his choice.

“He is not in the custody of the prosecuting agency or the court but is under the custody of Gen Rashid Qureshi. “Gen Qureshi deposited Rs2.5 million bail bonds for Gen Musharraf in the treason case and assured his attendance in the court whenever the court would require,” added advocate Sheikh.

About 2,000 personnel of the Islamabad police and Rangers were deployed on the route from Musharraf’s farmhouse at Shahzad Town to Kural while over 1,000 personnel of the Rawalpindi police, ASF and Rangers were on duty from Kural to the airport.

Similar security arrangements were also made at the airport where the ASF and Rangers remained on guard till the special plane carrying Musharraf took off at around 7:10pm.

Earlier in the day, mediapersons reached Musharraf’s farmhouse after news spread that he was about to leave for Karachi.

The Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) vehicles of TV channels and photographers of the print media gathered along the roadside outside the residence.

At the same time, the deployment of Rangers and police personnel also started on the roads on which the former president was schedule to move towards the airport.

The personnel were deployed at Park Road, Murree Road, Expressway and Airport Road with a distance of 100 metres from each other.

A superintendent of police (security) along with police vehicles, an ambulance and a fire engine reached outside the farmhouse. In the meantime, a fork-lifter stationed at the farmhouse started removing blocks from the street leading towards Musharraf’s residence to make way for the vehicles arriving there.

The security personnel of Rangers, police and agencies were seen to be calm as compared to the earlier movements of the former president.

None of the security personnel asked the media to move their vehicles or stay away from the area.

At around 6pm, the senior superintendent of police (security) also reached at the farmhouse after which police vehicles started lining up to make a convoy.

At 6:30pm, the fork lifter moved the blocks from the street and at the U-turn on Park Road.

For the next five minutes, one lane of Park Road towards Lehtrar was used for two-way traffic. But after 6:30pm, the roads were closed for the general traffic. At 6:45, a car of the Islamabad Traffic Police moved out as a pilot and was followed by the vehicle of SSP security and Rangers.

The vehicles were followed by five SUVs, one of them carrying Musharraf and his security personal along with a senior police officer.

The motorcade took 15 minutes to reach the airport from where the former president and his personal security staff boarded the special plane.