Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf went to Saudi Arabia earlier this week as a guest of the royal family. He arrived in Jeddah on a plane sent especially for him by King Abdullah, and spent two days in the country. Musharraf met with the King, and had an iftar dinner with him.
AP FILE
It was widely speculated that Musharraf went to Saudi Arabia in hopes of getting a bail out for the trials back in Pakistan. Musharraf has been asked to appear in court in regards to charges of abuse of power, but he was been out of the country for four months.
If that was what the former Pakistani President wanted, he did not get it. Instead, he was reportedly told by King Abdullah to clear up his own problems. The King also told Musharraf to pardon and seek forgiveness to those he harmed during his presidency.
“The Saudi government has not given him any good news. They think they can intervene only if he tenders an unconditional apology to the Pakistani nation. Pervez Musharraf may not be ready for this,” a source said to the newspaper, The Asian Age.
“Pervez Musharraf will take time to make up his mind. If he apologises for violating the Constitution, the Pakistan government may be in a better position to forgive him.”
It is believed Musharraf’s rival, Nawaz Sharif, would be invited to Saudi Arabia and the royal government would try to persuade him from not backing the charges against Musharraf.
“Then the Saudi government will discuss the issue with the (Pakistan) government,” the source said.
Although Musharraf was treated like a guest in Saudi Arabia, when he left Thursday morning, he had to take a commercial flight out of the country.
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