By IANS,
Washington : A senior US official’s reported remark that former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf was free to go wherever he wants has set off speculation about his new home.
Musharraf “is a free man and should be able to go wherever he wants,” Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher was cited by the Associated Press of Pakistan as telling the Voice of America in response to a question about his future plans.
But Washington is “not particularly involved in his (Musharraf’s) future arrangement right now,” he was quoted as saying though he did not specifically discount the possibility of the former key US ally settling down in America.
Boucher’s remarks were in line with what White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Monday.
“I’m not aware of any discussions regarding that, so I don’t think it’s an issue that we have to take up,” Johndroe said when asked if the US was involved in any discussions about the possible relocation for Musharraf outside of Pakistan or if the ousted ruler could seek exile in the US.
A day before Musharraf’s resignation, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice too said that the US was not considering granting asylum to the former military ruler. “This is an issue that is not on the table,” she told Fox News.
But as Boucher’s remarks indicated, he could certainly come to the US as a private citizen since his son Bilal and brother Naved are both residents here. Bilal, who graduated from Stanford recently, is reported to have a two-bedroom flat in Canton, Massachusetts.