Pakistan&#39;s former president Pervez Musharraf Thursday claimed that Asif Ali Zardari was responsible for the killing of his wife Benazir Bhutto, saying the former president gained the most from the assassination of the country&#39;s first woman prime minister, media reports said.

The 54-year-old Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief and a two-time prime minister was killed along with more than 20 people in a gun and bomb attack in Rawalpindi&#39;s Liaquat Bagh during an election campaign rally on December 27, 2007.

Former president and army chief Gen Musharraf, who was last month declared a fugitive by an anti-terrorism court which ordered seizure of his property in the Bhutto murder case, accused PPP co-chairman Zardari of &quot;having the most to gain from Benazir Bhutto&#39;s murder&quot; in a video posted on his official Facebook page.

&quot;Asif Ali Zardari is responsible for the Bhutto family&#39;s demise and is involved in the deaths of Benazir and Murtaza Bhutto,&quot; he said in an address to the three Bhutto-Zardari children, the Bhutto family and the people of Sindh, Dawn reported.

&quot;Every time there is a murder, the first thing that needs to be seen is who has the most to gain from the death. In this case, I had everything to lose as I was in power and the murder put my government in a difficult situation,&quot; he said.

&quot;There was just one person that had everything to gain from Benazir&#39;s assassination and that was Asif Ali Zardari,&quot; Musharraf said, adding that it was his analysis of the case. 
 
Zardari was in power for five years, why did he not look into the case, why was the investigation not active? because he was involved in Benazir&#39;s murder, Musharraf alleged.

&quot;The evidence is clear that Baitullah Mehsud and his people were involved in the murder, but who had asked them to target Benazir Bhutto ? it could not have been me, the group hated me and the feeling was mutual.

&quot;It is a known fact that I wanted Mehsud dead and so did the government of Pakistan after his group had attempted to kill me,&quot; Musharraf said.

Zardari, on the other hand, had a great relationship with then Afghan president Hamid Karzai, a link he could have used to influence Mehsud and his people, he claimed.

&quot;The charge they are levying against me is that I did not provide Benazir adequate security? something I was not responsible for ? the only question I have is, who took the decision to create a hatch in the roof of a bullet and bomb proof car? he said.

He said Benazir had a heavy security detail and had got into her car unharmed before someone called her incessantly and got her to wave to the people out of the hatch. 
 
There was no immediate reaction in the Pakistani media from the Bhutto family.

Musharraf, 74, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, has been living in Dubai since last year when he was allowed to leave Pakistan on the pretext of medical treatment.

The ex-army chief is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost. 
 
He is also facing trial in high treason case for abrogating the constitution in 2007 and illegal detention of judges same year.&nbsp;

Pakistan's former president Musharraf claimed Asif Ali Zardari gained the most from the assassination of the country's first woman prime minister, media reports said

Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf Thursday claimed that Asif Ali Zardari was responsible for the killing of his wife Benazir Bhutto, saying the former president gained the most from the assassination of the country's first woman prime minister, media reports said. The 54-year-old Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief and a two-time prime minister was killed along with more than 20 people in a gun and bomb attack in Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh during an election campaign rally on December 27, 2007. Former president and army chief Gen Musharraf, who was last month declared a fugitive by an anti-terrorism court which ordered seizure of his property in the Bhutto murder case, accused PPP co-chairman Zardari of "having the most to gain from Benazir Bhutto's murder" in a video posted on his official Facebook page. "Asif Ali Zardari is responsible for the Bhutto family's demise and is involved in the deaths of Benazir and Murtaza Bhutto," he said in an address to the three Bhutto-Zardari children, the Bhutto family and the people of Sindh, Dawn reported. "Every time there is a murder, the first thing that needs to be seen is who has the most to gain from the death. In this case, I had everything to lose as I was in power and the murder put my government in a difficult situation," he said. "There was just one person that had everything to gain from Benazir's assassination and that was Asif Ali Zardari," Musharraf said, adding that it was his analysis of the case. Zardari was in power for five years, why did he not look into the case, why was the investigation not active? because he was involved in Benazir's murder, Musharraf alleged. "The evidence is clear that Baitullah Mehsud and his people were involved in the murder, but who had asked them to target Benazir Bhutto ? it could not have been me, the group hated me and the feeling was mutual. "It is a known fact that I wanted Mehsud dead and so did the government of Pakistan after his group had attempted to kill me," Musharraf said. Zardari, on the other hand, had a great relationship with then Afghan president Hamid Karzai, a link he could have used to influence Mehsud and his people, he claimed. "The charge they are levying against me is that I did not provide Benazir adequate security? something I was not responsible for ? the only question I have is, who took the decision to create a hatch in the roof of a bullet and bomb proof car? he said. He said Benazir had a heavy security detail and had got into her car unharmed before someone called her incessantly and got her to wave to the people out of the hatch. There was no immediate reaction in the Pakistani media from the Bhutto family. Musharraf, 74, who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, has been living in Dubai since last year when he was allowed to leave Pakistan on the pretext of medical treatment. The ex-army chief is facing a slew of court cases after returning from five years of self-exile in Dubai to contest the general elections in 2013 which he lost. He is also facing trial in high treason case for abrogating the constitution in 2007 and illegal detention of judges same year.

Zardari killed his wife Benazir Bhutto, claims Musharraf

A Pakistan anti-terrorism court Wednesday declared former military ruler Pervez Musharraf a fugitive in the murder trial of &nbsp;former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

A court official said he had &quot;absconded&quot;, adding that the court has ordered his property to be confiscated.

Musharraf, who was charged with Bhutto&#39;s 2007 assassination in 2013, has been in self-imposed exile in Dubai ever since a travel ban was lifted three years later.

The court also acquitted five men accused of being Taliban militants and involved in the conspiracy to murder Bhutto, the court official said.

However it found two police officers guilty of &quot;mishandling the crime scene&quot;, &nbsp;and sentenced each of them to 17 years imprisonment and a fine&nbsp;of 500,000 rupees ($4,700).

Benazir Bhutto, the Muslim world&#39;s&nbsp;first female prime minister,&nbsp;was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack during an election rally in Rawalpindi.

The verdicts are the first to be issued in the case, and come nearly 10 years after her death.

Musharraf`s government blamed the assassination on Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, who denied any involvement. He was killed in a US drone attack in 2009.

In 2010, a UN report accused Musharraf`s government of failing to give Bhutto adequate protection and said her death could have been prevented. 
&nbsp;

A Pakistan anti-terrorism court has declared former military ruler Pervez Musharraf a fugitive, ordered his property to be confiscated

A Pakistan anti-terrorism court Wednesday declared former military ruler Pervez Musharraf a fugitive in the murder trial of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. A court official said he had "absconded", adding that the court has ordered his property to be confiscated. Musharraf, who was charged with Bhutto's 2007 assassination in 2013, has been in self-imposed exile in Dubai ever since a travel ban was lifted three years later. The court also acquitted five men accused of being Taliban militants and involved in the conspiracy to murder Bhutto, the court official said. However it found two police officers guilty of "mishandling the crime scene", and sentenced each of them to 17 years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 rupees ($4,700). Benazir Bhutto, the Muslim world's first female prime minister, was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack during an election rally in Rawalpindi. The verdicts are the first to be issued in the case, and come nearly 10 years after her death. Musharraf`s government blamed the assassination on Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, who denied any involvement. He was killed in a US drone attack in 2009. In 2010, a UN report accused Musharraf`s government of failing to give Bhutto adequate protection and said her death could have been prevented.

Pervez Musharraf declared fugitive in Benazir Bhutto murder trial

Pakistan has rejected former military ruler Pervez Musharraf&#39;s demands of military security and safe passage to Dubai to face his high treason trial, saying an &quot;absconder&quot; cannot give conditions and &quot;dictate his prerequisites&quot; to the court. 
 
The federal government yesterday told a three-member special court that being an absconder for high treason, 73- year-old Musharraf cannot seek any relief until he surrenders before the court which is trying him in the high treason case. 
 
&quot;An absconder cannot dictate his prerequisites to the court and give conditions, that too his own subjective satisfaction, as to when he will appear and for how long,&quot; the government said in its response. 
 
Musharraf filed an application before the special court on May 5 in which he expressed willingness to face the trial under military protection. He also sought assurance from the court that he would be given safe passage back to Dubai. 
 
The government, through its chief prosecutor Mohammad Akram Sheikh, said, &quot;The application has been filed only to prolong the conclusion of the trial,&quot; the Dawn reported. 
 
&quot;That similar applications requesting &#39;foolproof&#39; security and citing medical and security reasons have previously been made in the other cases pending against the absconding accused but no other court allowed these requests.&quot; it said. 
 
However, the government said it was willing to provide &quot;all due security&quot; to Musharraf &quot;as per his entitlement&quot;. 
 
It also said that measures of effectiveness of the security could not be left to the whims of the absconding suspect, as in that case, security measures would never be found adequate. 
 
The federal government said Musharraf&#39;s demands were delaying tactics and said the suspect&#39;s conduct showed he had no desire to appear in court. 
 
The government&#39;s response also expressed doubts over the authenticity of the medical reports filed by Musharraf&#39;s counsel. 
 
&quot;There is neither any independently verified evidence of the ailments and travel restrictions nor has any material been placed on record,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;The attestation by consulate general of Pakistan, Dubai is dated August 9, 2016, whereas the body of the vakaltnama (power of attorney) has an overwritten date as April 30, 2017, which on the face of it shows that it is not an authentic document,&quot; the response said. 
 
According to the reply, the court through its order dated July 19, 2016, declared Musharraf to be a proclaimed offender/absconder. Perpetual arrest warrants have been issued against him, after which proceedings to confiscate his properties have also been initiated. 
 
The government asked the court to dismiss Musharraf&#39;s application seeking military security and safe passage to Dubai, and to take &quot;all appropriate coercive measures to procure the attendance of absconding accused to complete the trial&quot;. 
 
The special court will resume proceedings in the high treason trial on May 19. 
 
Musharraf imposed emergency in 2007 by suspending the constitution, which is high treason according to the constitution in Pakistan and carries maximum death penalty.

(PTI)

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf wanted to face trial under military protection and also requested for a safe passage to Dubai

Pakistan has rejected former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's demands of military security and safe passage to Dubai to face his high treason trial, saying an "absconder" cannot give conditions and "dictate his prerequisites" to the court. The federal government yesterday told a three-member special court that being an absconder for high treason, 73- year-old Musharraf cannot seek any relief until he surrenders before the court which is trying him in the high treason case. "An absconder cannot dictate his prerequisites to the court and give conditions, that too his own subjective satisfaction, as to when he will appear and for how long," the government said in its response. Musharraf filed an application before the special court on May 5 in which he expressed willingness to face the trial under military protection. He also sought assurance from the court that he would be given safe passage back to Dubai. The government, through its chief prosecutor Mohammad Akram Sheikh, said, "The application has been filed only to prolong the conclusion of the trial," the Dawn reported. "That similar applications requesting 'foolproof' security and citing medical and security reasons have previously been made in the other cases pending against the absconding accused but no other court allowed these requests." it said. However, the government said it was willing to provide "all due security" to Musharraf "as per his entitlement". It also said that measures of effectiveness of the security could not be left to the whims of the absconding suspect, as in that case, security measures would never be found adequate. The federal government said Musharraf's demands were delaying tactics and said the suspect's conduct showed he had no desire to appear in court. The government's response also expressed doubts over the authenticity of the medical reports filed by Musharraf's counsel. "There is neither any independently verified evidence of the ailments and travel restrictions nor has any material been placed on record," it said. "The attestation by consulate general of Pakistan, Dubai is dated August 9, 2016, whereas the body of the vakaltnama (power of attorney) has an overwritten date as April 30, 2017, which on the face of it shows that it is not an authentic document," the response said. According to the reply, the court through its order dated July 19, 2016, declared Musharraf to be a proclaimed offender/absconder. Perpetual arrest warrants have been issued against him, after which proceedings to confiscate his properties have also been initiated. The government asked the court to dismiss Musharraf's application seeking military security and safe passage to Dubai, and to take "all appropriate coercive measures to procure the attendance of absconding accused to complete the trial". The special court will resume proceedings in the high treason trial on May 19. Musharraf imposed emergency in 2007 by suspending the constitution, which is high treason according to the constitution in Pakistan and carries maximum death penalty. (PTI)

Pakistan snubs Musharraf's 'conditions' in high treason case

Watch WION&#39;s two-part interview with former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XxyMjuvcaPM" width="560"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1UM__upStLo" width="560"></iframe>

Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf launched a blistering attack on India&#39;s pluralism, saying the rise of an aggressive form of Hindu nationalism had eroded the country&#39;s secular beliefs.

Referring to the surge in groundswell support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party, the ex-president was alarmed about the spike in&nbsp;&quot;Hindu supremacy&quot; beliefs prevailing in large swathes of the country during his interview with WION&#39;s Palki Sharma.

&quot;You have absolutely lost your secular credentials. You are anti-Muslim. I think the party which has got elected, look at who is the chief minister of UP? I mean, what (are) his credentials?&quot; Musharraf asks in reference to the recent appointment of the staunch Hindu nationalist Yogi Adityanath as the political head of India most populous and politically most critical state Uttar Pradesh.

In contrast, the former military ruler feels that Pakistan is a lot more&nbsp;&quot;progressive&quot; and an &quot;enlightened&quot; society.

He even goes to the extent of dubbing Yogi Adityanath as an extremist.

&quot;He (Adityanath) is talking that all Muslims and Christians will be converted to Hindus.. within a span of time. He is saying that,&quot; the former Pakistani president said.

Adityanath&#39;s fledgling tenure has come with a fair slice of controversy both in India and abroad.

Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu nationalist, was appointed Uttar Pradesh&#39;s chief minister in February,&nbsp;but has hogged realms of news reports for spouting anti-Islamic comments.

Adityanath&#39;s ascension to the top has vexed the moderates in India who believe that the appointment is likely to sharpen the religious fault lines in the India&#39;s largest state.

The rise of cow vigilante groups and the ban on illegal slaughter houses in the state has escalated and buffeted the right-wing rhetoric in India.

Responding to the current atmosphere in India, Musharraf said definitively that there was an &quot;anti-Muslim&quot; sentiment sweeping across the country.

He also downplayed the persecution against the Muslim Uyghurs in China, saying New Delhi is reading a lot into the issue.

&quot;Much more is happening in India. We should discuss that too,&quot; Musharraf said.

Musharraf, who took over the reins of Pakistan following a coup in 1999, was in a self-imposed exile since 2008. He returned to Pakistan in 2013 to contest the general elections, following which the government initiated a trial against him for treason.

(WION)

WION interviews Pervez Musharraf, who expresses alarm at the spike in 'Hindu supremacy' and calls the BJP 'anti-Muslim'

Watch WION's two-part interview with former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf. Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf launched a blistering attack on India's pluralism, saying the rise of an aggressive form of Hindu nationalism had eroded the country's secular beliefs. Referring to the surge in groundswell support of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party, the ex-president was alarmed about the spike in "Hindu supremacy" beliefs prevailing in large swathes of the country during his interview with WION's Palki Sharma. "You have absolutely lost your secular credentials. You are anti-Muslim. I think the party which has got elected, look at who is the chief minister of UP? I mean, what (are) his credentials?" Musharraf asks in reference to the recent appointment of the staunch Hindu nationalist Yogi Adityanath as the political head of India most populous and politically most critical state Uttar Pradesh. In contrast, the former military ruler feels that Pakistan is a lot more "progressive" and an "enlightened" society. He even goes to the extent of dubbing Yogi Adityanath as an extremist. "He (Adityanath) is talking that all Muslims and Christians will be converted to Hindus.. within a span of time. He is saying that," the former Pakistani president said. Adityanath's fledgling tenure has come with a fair slice of controversy both in India and abroad. Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu nationalist, was appointed Uttar Pradesh's chief minister in February, but has hogged realms of news reports for spouting anti-Islamic comments. Adityanath's ascension to the top has vexed the moderates in India who believe that the appointment is likely to sharpen the religious fault lines in the India's largest state. The rise of cow vigilante groups and the ban on illegal slaughter houses in the state has escalated and buffeted the right-wing rhetoric in India. Responding to the current atmosphere in India, Musharraf said definitively that there was an "anti-Muslim" sentiment sweeping across the country. He also downplayed the persecution against the Muslim Uyghurs in China, saying New Delhi is reading a lot into the issue. "Much more is happening in India. We should discuss that too," Musharraf said. Musharraf, who took over the reins of Pakistan following a coup in 1999, was in a self-imposed exile since 2008. He returned to Pakistan in 2013 to contest the general elections, following which the government initiated a trial against him for treason. (WION)

Watch: Ex-Pakistan President Musharraf says India's secularism is eroding

Pervez Musharraf, the tenth President of Pakistan who was forced to tender his resignation in 2008, said India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the mandate to resolve the Kashmir issue but questioned his political will to do so.

Musharraf, who spearheaded the Kargil infiltration that sparked a full-blown war in 1998 between the two South Asian countries, told WION&#39;s Palki Sharma that he believes Modi is best placed to end the decades-long conflict due to his international standing&nbsp;and overwhelming domestic mandate&nbsp;that he has in India.

&quot;Unfortunately, he needs to have the will himself (to resolve the Kashmir issue),&quot; Musharraf said.

&quot;He is extremely offensively. Look at the statements against Pakistan. India talks of destabilsing Pakistan,&quot; he further said.

Musharraf also advocated the current US administration to solve the bilateral issue involving the restive state of Kashmir.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fEEn8F-Z3FI" width="560"></iframe>

Admitting that United States President Donald Trump did not have a comprehensive grasp of the riven state, Musharraf gave his own example, saying: &quot;If the man is prepared to learn and he is intelligent enough to grasp essentials, he is the best. I mean, I compare myself. When I came (to power) in 1999, I didn&rsquo;t know much about running a country... I didn&#39;t know anything about the economy...I learnt it on the job because I was prepared to be silent and listen.&quot;

When asked if Trump had the capability to understand the nuances of the conflict, he said: &quot;Trump has developed a multi-billion dollar empire for himself. He must be having some grey matter.&quot;

Speaking as part of the network&rsquo;s World Is One Global Leadership Series which brings viewers the best political minds from all over the globe, Musharraf shot down allegations of human rights violation in the restive province of Balochistan.

The 73-year-old former Pakistani premier accused New Delhi of stoking unrest in Pakistan&#39;s internal affairs, especially in Balochistan: &quot;You (New Delhi) are assisting separatists who are in the minority. You are helping them internationally to project this.&quot;

It has long been assumed that New Delhi has tried to inflame the insurgency in Balochistan.

Islamabad has long blamed India for stoking insurgency in Balochistan and funding the Balochistan Liberation Army as part of a retaliation for Pakistan&#39;s alleged support for Lashkar -e-Taiba (LeT).

Balochistan, Pakistan&#39;s largest but least developed province, has been battling a years-long separatist insurgency which the army has repeatedly characterised as &quot;terrorism&quot; promoted by hostile states such as India.

In return, the LeT has been blamed by India for carrying out the coordinated attacks in India&#39;s financial capital Mumbai in 2008, which left over 160 dead and over dozens wounded.

Kashmir&nbsp;has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full.

The neighbours have fought three wars since independence from Britain seven decades ago, two of them over&nbsp;Kashmir.

Musharraf, who took over the reins of Pakistan following a coup in 1999, was in a self-imposed exile since 2008. He returned to Pakistan in 2013 to contest the general elections, following which the government initiated a trial against him for treason.

Watch WION&#39;s two-part interview with former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XxyMjuvcaPM" width="560"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1UM__upStLo" width="560"></iframe>

(WION)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Speaking with WION, the former 73-year-old president also blamed New Delhi for fuelling unrest in Balochistan

Pervez Musharraf, the tenth President of Pakistan who was forced to tender his resignation in 2008, said India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the mandate to resolve the Kashmir issue but questioned his political will to do so. Musharraf, who spearheaded the Kargil infiltration that sparked a full-blown war in 1998 between the two South Asian countries, told WION's Palki Sharma that he believes Modi is best placed to end the decades-long conflict due to his international standing and overwhelming domestic mandate that he has in India. "Unfortunately, he needs to have the will himself (to resolve the Kashmir issue)," Musharraf said. "He is extremely offensively. Look at the statements against Pakistan. India talks of destabilsing Pakistan," he further said. Musharraf also advocated the current US administration to solve the bilateral issue involving the restive state of Kashmir. Admitting that United States President Donald Trump did not have a comprehensive grasp of the riven state, Musharraf gave his own example, saying: "If the man is prepared to learn and he is intelligent enough to grasp essentials, he is the best. I mean, I compare myself. When I came (to power) in 1999, I didn’t know much about running a country... I didn't know anything about the economy...I learnt it on the job because I was prepared to be silent and listen." When asked if Trump had the capability to understand the nuances of the conflict, he said: "Trump has developed a multi-billion dollar empire for himself. He must be having some grey matter." Speaking as part of the network’s World Is One Global Leadership Series which brings viewers the best political minds from all over the globe, Musharraf shot down allegations of human rights violation in the restive province of Balochistan. The 73-year-old former Pakistani premier accused New Delhi of stoking unrest in Pakistan's internal affairs, especially in Balochistan: "You (New Delhi) are assisting separatists who are in the minority. You are helping them internationally to project this." It has long been assumed that New Delhi has tried to inflame the insurgency in Balochistan. Islamabad has long blamed India for stoking insurgency in Balochistan and funding the Balochistan Liberation Army as part of a retaliation for Pakistan's alleged support for Lashkar -e-Taiba (LeT). Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least developed province, has been battling a years-long separatist insurgency which the army has repeatedly characterised as "terrorism" promoted by hostile states such as India. In return, the LeT has been blamed by India for carrying out the coordinated attacks in India's financial capital Mumbai in 2008, which left over 160 dead and over dozens wounded. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full. The neighbours have fought three wars since independence from Britain seven decades ago, two of them over Kashmir. Musharraf, who took over the reins of Pakistan following a coup in 1999, was in a self-imposed exile since 2008. He returned to Pakistan in 2013 to contest the general elections, following which the government initiated a trial against him for treason. Watch WION's two-part interview with former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf. (WION)

Former Pakistan president Musharraf questions Modi's will to resolve Kashmir issue

Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf intends to come out of his self-imposed exile to fight the country&#39;s general elections in 2018.

Musharraf stressed on the need to &quot;create a third political force&quot; to &quot;introduce better practical democracy&quot;.

Speaking to WION&#39;s Palki Sharma, the 73-year-old confirmed his intention to contend next year&#39;s elections: &quot;Yes, I am (looking to relaunch my political career.&quot;

However, Musharraf said he didn&#39;t have any ambitions to be the country&#39;s prime minister.

&quot;I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next prime minister,&quot; the Dubai-based retired army chief said.

&quot;There are many good people who can run Pakistan,&quot; the former president said. &quot;I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good.&quot;

The former military ruler also downplayed criticism of his plan to ally with either&nbsp;Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

He said his earlier decision to join them was the need of the hour to ensure the country rid itself of corruption and nepotism.

&quot;It didn&rsquo;t come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or&nbsp;joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way.&quot;

Musharraf, who took over the reins of Pakistan following a coup in 1999, was in a self-imposed exile since 2008. He returned to Pakistan in 2013 to contest the general elections, following which the government initiated a trial against him for treason.

Watch WION&#39;s two-part interview with former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XxyMjuvcaPM" width="560"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1UM__upStLo" width="560"></iframe>

(WION)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The former military ruler tells WION's Palki Sharma that he wants to 'create a third political force' in the country

Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf intends to come out of his self-imposed exile to fight the country's general elections in 2018. Musharraf stressed on the need to "create a third political force" to "introduce better practical democracy". Speaking to WION's Palki Sharma, the 73-year-old confirmed his intention to contend next year's elections: "Yes, I am (looking to relaunch my political career." However, Musharraf said he didn't have any ambitions to be the country's prime minister. "I want to create a political force. A third political force. But not necessarily be the next prime minister," the Dubai-based retired army chief said. "There are many good people who can run Pakistan," the former president said. "I would like to contribute by using all my experience to guide someone who is good." The former military ruler also downplayed criticism of his plan to ally with either Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan Tehreek-i-Insaf. He said his earlier decision to join them was the need of the hour to ensure the country rid itself of corruption and nepotism. "It didn’t come under criticism. I think, that was the call of the day. I think the requirement of a third political force that I am talking of needs combination or joining alliances of like-minded people, who see Pakistan in an enlightened and progressive way." Musharraf, who took over the reins of Pakistan following a coup in 1999, was in a self-imposed exile since 2008. He returned to Pakistan in 2013 to contest the general elections, following which the government initiated a trial against him for treason. Watch WION's two-part interview with former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf. (WION)

Pakistan: Musharraf looks to contend next year's elections

Former Pakistani dictator General Pervez Musharraf owned more properties under defence housing schemes than previously thought, a media report said on Tuesday, days after a top court ordered authorities to confiscate his bank accounts and property. 
 
The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) confirmed three bungalows were named after the 72-year-old former president, who is currently said to be in Dubai for purported medical treatment. 
 
The DHA wrote a letter to the district and session court confirming their presence, Geo News reported. 
 
According to details in the letter, Musharraf has a 2000-yard bungalow in Phase 8, Defence. He also owns two plots in DHA phase 8, DHA stated.&nbsp;However DHA has remained silent over a bungalow in Army Housing Scheme which is considered one of the main properties of the former military dictator. 
 
Quoting sources in DHA, the report said that Musharraf in fact has two properties in Army Housing Scheme, something that even the court was unaware of. 
 
District Judge South (Karachi) Nazir Amin Memon had initiated action based on the Special Court judge&#39;s ruling on July 19, in which the court had ordered freezing of Musharraf&#39;s assets and properties. 
 
The district judge had ordered seizing of four bungalows belonging to the former president for not appearing before it during proceedings of a high treason case despite repeated notices. 
 
The district judge in a letter had asked the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) to take action and submit a response in three days over the matter. 
 
Musharraf flew to Dubai in March for purported medical treatment after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on his foreign trips and it is believed that he may never return to face a slew of several high-profile cases against him. 
 
The Special Court in one of its previous rulings had declared ex-president Musharraf a &#39;proclaimed offender&#39;. 
 
In March 2014, Musharraf was formally indicted over treason charges for imposing emergency and the Provisional Constitutional Order on November 3, 2007. 
 
Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, deposing then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, he resigned as president and went into self-imposed exile in Dubai. 
 
He returned in 2013 to contest elections but was implicated in several high-profile cases. He is facing trial in illegal detention of judges in 2007. Musharraf has also been charged in connection with the 2007 assassination of prime minister Benazir Bhutto.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

A Special Court's ruling on July 19 had ordered freezing of Musharraf's properties for failing to appear in a high treason case

Former Pakistani dictator General Pervez Musharraf owned more properties under defence housing schemes than previously thought, a media report said on Tuesday, days after a top court ordered authorities to confiscate his bank accounts and property. The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) confirmed three bungalows were named after the 72-year-old former president, who is currently said to be in Dubai for purported medical treatment. The DHA wrote a letter to the district and session court confirming their presence, Geo News reported. According to details in the letter, Musharraf has a 2000-yard bungalow in Phase 8, Defence. He also owns two plots in DHA phase 8, DHA stated. However DHA has remained silent over a bungalow in Army Housing Scheme which is considered one of the main properties of the former military dictator. Quoting sources in DHA, the report said that Musharraf in fact has two properties in Army Housing Scheme, something that even the court was unaware of. District Judge South (Karachi) Nazir Amin Memon had initiated action based on the Special Court judge's ruling on July 19, in which the court had ordered freezing of Musharraf's assets and properties. The district judge had ordered seizing of four bungalows belonging to the former president for not appearing before it during proceedings of a high treason case despite repeated notices. The district judge in a letter had asked the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) to take action and submit a response in three days over the matter. Musharraf flew to Dubai in March for purported medical treatment after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on his foreign trips and it is believed that he may never return to face a slew of several high-profile cases against him. The Special Court in one of its previous rulings had declared ex-president Musharraf a 'proclaimed offender'. In March 2014, Musharraf was formally indicted over treason charges for imposing emergency and the Provisional Constitutional Order on November 3, 2007. Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, deposing then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Facing impeachment following elections in 2008, he resigned as president and went into self-imposed exile in Dubai. He returned in 2013 to contest elections but was implicated in several high-profile cases. He is facing trial in illegal detention of judges in 2007. Musharraf has also been charged in connection with the 2007 assassination of prime minister Benazir Bhutto. (PTI)

Musharraf owns more properties than known: Report

musharraf

Musharraf, News on Musharraf, stories on Musharraf, articles on Musharraf, Musharraf stories at Wion, Musharraf news, Musharraf latest news