By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Pervez Musharraf’s future was uncertain as the heads of the ruling coalition concluded their meeting Monday without taking any final decision and will meet again on Tuesday morning, sources said.
According to the sources, Musharraf, who resigned as president after remaining in power for about nine years, will be staying at the Army House until the government takes a decision on him. Sources said that he has been assured of a safe exit by the army and has been assured security in Pakistan.
“Technically, Musharraf can stay for another one month in the Army House but will be provided security as a former president,” said an official, but unconfirmed reports say that he would “soon” be flying off from Pakistan and may land in Saudi Arabia.
However, neither Musharraf in his televised speech nor the ruling coalition have said a word about his future. Replying to a question, Information Minister Sherry Rehman said that the coalition leaders will decide on Musharraf’s future.
While the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) favours a safe exit and reconciliation with Musharraf, the second major party in coalition – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz – is demanding his trial for abrogating the constitution.
“I forgive him despite the fact that he put me in jail for five years… we the PPP believe in reconciliation and our leader believed in this,” Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told parliament after Musharraf’s resignation.
But Nawaz Sharif, talking briefly to reporters, said that every one should be tried for the misdeeds he or she commits.
“Only law should prove him guilty or otherwise,” said Sharif whose government Musharraf dismissed in October 1999.