Islamabad: A bomb-proof wall is reportedly under construction around the farmhouse of former military Pervez Musharraf, who is facing threats to his life.
The former president shifted to the farmhouse in the capital earlier this month after a three-month stay at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in the adjacent garrison city of Rawalpindi, where he was being treated for a heart ailment.
A special court indicted Musharraf in a treason case on March 31. The case is related to November 3, 2007, when as president, Musharraf declared of a state of emergency in the country. He was also army chief at that time.
The three-member bench comprising high court judges has scheduled the post-indictment hearing on April 15. The bench, however, exempted Musharraf from making personal appearance at the hearing.
The 70-year-old retired general has been barred from leaving the country. The interior ministry rejected his application for the removal of his name from an official exit control list, saying the restriction was put in place last year after a Supreme Court decision.
Meanwhile, speculation is rife that behind-the-scenes unease is brewing between the army and the government over Musharraf’s trial and public comments made by some ministers.
Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, during a visit to Special Service Group headquarters on April 7, heard “concerns of soldiers on undue criticism of the army”, according to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.
In response, General Sharif said, “While our country is faced with multiple internal and external challenges, Pakistan Army upholds the sanctity of all institutions and will resolutely preserve its own dignity and institutional pride.”
The ISPR press release did not elaborate on the soldiers’ concerns.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and some other ministers have asserted that there is no rift between the army and the government and criticised those “spreading rumours about differences”.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that people in the Musharraf camp were trying to create a false impression that the treason case was against the institution of the army.
