In compliance with the order of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the interim government on Thursday decided to put former dictator General (r) Pervez Musharraf under house arrest and the same would be conveyed either by the attorney general or the inspector general of Police to the court today (Friday), Pakistan Today has learnt on authority.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information Arif Nizami told a private TV channel that the court order regarding the arrest of General Musharraf would be implemented in letter and spirit.
“No anarchy would befall the country if Musharraf is arrested,†he added.
A well-placed source in the government confided in this scribe on condition of anonymity that the matter was taken up by the government’s high-ups and it was decided that the former army chief, who also served as president, would be put under house arrest due to “security threatsâ€.
“We have information that Musharraf is facing security threats from several militant outfits. He has also come under attack twice while many life attempts were thwarted in the past. Keeping in view the situation, he could not be kept in any prison as militants are also kept there. So the government has decided to keep him under house arrest and his residence at Chak Shehzad would be declared sub-jail,†the source added.
Meanwhile, another official said President Asif Ali Zardari hosted a working luncheon for the members of the federal cabinet at the Presidency.
“The president was given a detailed briefing by Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso on law and order. The president also gave his input on maintenance of law and order and asked the government to provide level playing field to all political parties so that impartial, free, fair and transparent elections could be held,†the source added.
The official said that the president, who is normally blamed for having a leaning towards his own party – the PPP, urged the cabinet to conduct itself as strictly impartial so as no one could point a finger toward any minister for being partisan.
“The president conducted himself as a statesman. He looked impartial and non-partisan,†the official said.
The official said the prime minister informed the president about the government’s strategy to take on board the provincial governments on security issues and said a meeting was being held soon by Interior Minister Malik Habib which would also be attended by inspectors general of police of the four provinces.
“The prime minister said the federal government’s initiative to involve the provincial governments on law and order issues following terrorist attacks in KP and Balochistan was aimed at taking provinces on board, as primarily, law and order was a provincial subject. The president appreciated the move by the federal government,†he added.
The official said matters regarding the Election Commission of Pakistan also came under discussion and it was decided that a three-member ministerial delegation would call on the chief election commissioner (CEC) to take up contentious issues.
“The ministerial delegation would include Information Minister Arif Nizami, Law Minister Ahmer Bilal Soofi and Interior Minister Malik Habib,†the official added.
