ISLAMABAD: Hours after an announcement on Saturday that former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf will appear before a special court on May 2, it was learnt that he might not return to Pakistan because of his medical board’s recommendation and family pressure not to do so.

“Gen Musharraf is eager to come to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court. He has been suffering from severe backbone pain and the medical board has advised him not to travel. Moreover, he has been facing pressure from his family that he should not travel at the cost of his health. However, as everyone knows that Gen Musharraf is a man of his words so still there are 50 per cent chances of his return,” member of the All Pakistan Muslim League Ali Nawab Chitrali, Advocate, told Dawn.

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According to electronic media reports, Gen Musharraf’s lawyer Salman Safdar while talking to media men had claimed that former president, who has been facing a high treason case, would reach Pakistan on May 1 and will appear before the special court the next day.

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The special court, which is hearing a treason case against the former army chief, had ordered him to appear before it on May 2.

The news was widely discussed throughout the day, but in the evening speculations were started that Gen Musharraf may not return due to health issues as he has failed to appear before the special court since 2016.

On the other hand, Gen Musharraf’s supporters were of the view that he would definitely return as the Supreme Court has ordered that the former military dictator would lose the right of defence if he fails to appear before the special court on May 2.

Advocate Chitrali, who claimed that he had contacted a close associate of Gen Musharraf, said that it was very difficult for ailing Gen Musharraf to travel, but he was eager to come to Pakistan.

“Although both the medical board and Gen Musharraf family have asked him not to travel there are strong chances that the former president would return to Pakistan to appear before the court,” he claimed.

Gen Musharraf had announced in the past a number of times that he would return to Pakistan, but failed to do so on medical grounds.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2019