[Pak Daily Times] Ostensibly adopting a humanitarian approach to Musharraf's legal predicament that does not allow him to leave the country, the government has offered to make arrangements to bring his ailing mother to Pakistain to live with her son and be treated here. Musharraf is facing high treason charges under Article 6 of the constitution for imposing an emergency on November 3, 2007. The inclusion of his name on the Exit Control List prevents him from leaving the country. His appeal to get his name removed from the list was rejected by the Sindh High Court, which advised him to approach the government in this regard. His subsequent appeals, objecting to the creation of a special court, the selection of judges and the decision to appoint as its special prosecutor Akram Sheikh were all rejected by the Islamabad High Court. Unable to reach the special court on his first hearing due to threats to his life, Musharraf will now face the court on January 1, 2014. With the government's offer to bring his mother to Pakistain, rumours about the government's covert desire to give Musharraf a safe passage have come to a halt, at least for the moment.In a news report, Musharraf's lawyers have been quoted as saying that the PML-N government had sent Musharraf a message asking him to leave the country quietly soon after assuming office. The offer, according to Musharraf's lawyer, was rejected by the former general. Musharraf's mother's illness was being considered the opportunity that would give Musharraf a chance to leave and live a life of exile and safety. With this new development it seems that the government has decided to allow the judicial process to take its course. The army's silence on the issue may have given the government the confidence to let things run their course.
The argument whether Musharraf is being indicted for the right reasons is still open to debate. Trying Musharraf only for the constitutional crisis that he created on November 3, 2007 is controversial. His original sin when he sent a democratically elected government packing in 1999 has been conveniently brushed under the carpet since that suits all those who had been hand-in-glove with the general to sabotage democracy. This includes the politicians, the judiciary, the army and the intelligentsia. This travesty of justice should be looked into. Musharraf's trial, if it does go on unhindered, is poised to make history and redefine the civil-military relationship.