Daily Times

Sir: Political manoeuvring in Pakistan to provide safe passage to the former army chief defies the basic fundamental rule of conscious judgement. Prior to and after his return to Pakistan, he had been allegedly charged for being involved in dozens of cases, including treason, abolition of the constitution, murders of Bugti, Benazir Bhutto and many in the Red Mosque cases. But his opponents had not been able to prove any of his crimes beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. Finally, a special court had indicted him on five counts of high treason but the political circles in and outside the country are pursuing each other to remove his name from the Exit Control List (ECL) so that he can have a safe passage abroad, nullifying many months of legal haggling.

Apparently, it is a shameful joke that our government and the bureaucrats are playing with the nation to indicate that our criminal laws are different for different people and that a former General can get away even if he is involved in multiple cases including treason.

The court that indicted him for high treason could have specified categorically that he cannot be allowed to leave the country until his case is decided. He seems to be well confined in the hospital and can wait further and participate during the trial and if he wants to see his ailing mother, she can be brought to Pakistan to stay in the same hospital he is in currently.

Musharraf and his legal team are trying to dodge the system and the nation for an easy exit and the government seems to be supporting him in this endeavour.

The recent stand of the government in rejecting his plea for the removal of his name from the ECL is a step in the right direction. Let the trial proceed and his cases be decided in the courts. Whether found guilty or not, corrective measure be taken to comply with the verdict. Failure to do so will set a precedent for army generals to take over control at their will and destroy everything including the constitution to establish their rule. It is time to act and set a precedent in this regard.

Mohammad Ashraf

Winnipeg,

Canada