Musharraf maintains loaded silence over back-to-politics speculation

Islamabad: Don't be surprised if you hear someone in Pakistan's capital Islamabad saying that he has seen former president Pervez Musharraf turning up at a friend's place, house of a politician or some famous restaurant.

Musharraf is accessible to friends, former colleagues and a bunch of former political cronies. He visits people regularly and any invitee can visit him in Rawalpindi's Army House where he still lives under tight security.

Will he lead a quiet retired life or jump into politics?

These days this question along with speculation about his immediate plans is drawing media and public attention.

But the man himself is tight lipped, as he still lives in the official residence of the Army Chief of Staff, playing bridge and tennis.

Recently some of his friends, though anonymous, were quoted in the media about his immediate plans, but there is no conformation by the former general himself.

His farmhouse near Islamabad is nearing completion - a place he is most likely to shift to any time in December.

The former general owns another house in the Pakistani port city and commercial hub Karachi - a place he visited for the first time after his resignation this year to meet his daughter and grand children.

Musharraf bowed out under pressure in mid-August amid calls of impeachment by the ruling coalition in after remaining in power for almost nine years. He remained army chief until November 2007 and shed his military uniform only after intense domestic and international pressure.

He enjoys the distinction of being the only Pakistani military ruler who imposed martial law in October 12, 1999 when he grabbed power, and then emergency rule on November 3, 2007 amid fears that the apex court might disqualify him as country's president.

But his infamous decision to suspend the then Supreme Court chief justice proved a body blow for his rule as it resulted in a popular lawyers movement against him which was instantly joined in by political leaders and workers.

In December 2007, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi sent his ratings graph to the lowest point and it resulted in the electoral rout of his political allies, the Muslim League-Q in the February elections.

The Pakistan Peoples Party led by Asif Ali Zardari, later Musharraf's successor as the country's president, and the Muslim League-N led by former premier Nawaz Sharif emerged triumphant in these elections.

Initially, Zardari seemed reluctant in joining Sharif to impeach Musharraf, but then he changed his mind in July thus paving way for his ouster.

At present, Musharraf's prospects of entering politics seem remote due to the constitutional bar that prohibits a former military general from taking part in politics for two years from the date of retirement.

But his interest in the PML-Q, has not diminished - the party he created in 2001 after deposing Sharif, which he installed in power through the controversial 2002 elections.

Recently some of Musharraf's friends were quoted in the media about his immediate plans but there has been no conformation by the former general himself.