Islamabad: The government on Saturday challenged at the Supreme Court a provincial high court’s verdict invalidating an official ban on Pakistan’s former military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, from leaving the country.

The appeal against Thursday’s Sindh High Court (SHC) order for removal of Musharraf’s name from the official Exit Control List (ECL) was submitted through the office of the attorney-general.

The government has requested the top court to order that the high court decision remain defunct until a decision on the appeal.

The SHC had allowed 15 days for filing an appeal and said that operation of its order for removal of Musharraf’s name from the ECL will not be implemented during this period.

The government contends it could not take the risk of allowing Musharraf to lave Pakistan because there was a great incentive for him to flee in view of his ongoing trial by a special court in a treason case that involved the death penalty.

The appeal points out that the former president was also facing trial in a number of criminal cases at different courts in which he had been granted bail.

A day before the government’s appeal, Musharraf filed an application at the SHC in Karachi requesting it to reduce the 15-day period allowed for filing of appeal by the government.

The ex-president’s counsel, Barrister Farogh Naseem, talking to media in Karachi, said Musharraf wanted to leave at the earliest because of the deteriorating health of his mother in Dubai.

Musharraf was indicted in March by a three-judge special court in Islamabad on treason charges brought against him by the government over suspension of the cosntitution and imposition of a state of emergency by him on November 3, 2007 as army chief.

He had pleaded not guilty when the indictment was read out as he finally appeared before the court after not complying with repeated summons owing to security threats and ill health.

Headed by SHC judge Faisal Arab, the special court exempted the 72-year old former president from personal appearance at case hearings, saying it could call him whenever required. Musharraf later left for Karachi.

It is widely speculated that the unprecedented treason trial in the country of a former army chief negatively impacts on the military-civilian government relationship.

Talat Masood, a retired general and analyst, said the ongoing confusion over what the government wishes to do with Musharraf is reflective of internal divisions within the ruling PML-N party of Nawaz Sharif.

“If it was left to Nawaz Sharif, he would probably have Musharraf tried for treason. But the more pragmatic PML-N politicians are of the view it would be unwise to try Musharraf at this point in time, when so many things are happening and you need the military so badly to fight terrorism.”

Pressure is mounting on Pakistan to strike on the Taliban’s headquarters in the North Waziristan tribal district following the all-night siege of Karachi airport last week that left 38 dead including 10 attackers.

The assault was followed on Wednesday by the first US drone strikes on Pakistan this year, raising suspicion of coordination between the two countries after the programme was reportedly suspended to give Islamabad space to pursue talks with the Taliban, a process that now appears to be over.

- With inputs from AFP