Govt snubs Musharraf's plea to visit Saudi Arabia

Former president, Pervez Musharraf had requested the government to permit him to visit Saudi Arabia in order to offer his condolences over the demise of King Abdullah.

The Interior Ministry on Thursday rejected the request after consultation with the Ministry of Law.

The Law Ministry while responding to the query said that there are cases pending against the former president in different courts. It would not be appropriate for the government to allow him to fly to Saudi Arabia, for only the courts can decide in this regard.

At this, the government excused from allowing Musharraf to visit Saudi Arabia and suggested him to consult the courts and leave the country, if permitted by the court.

The former president is currently having his name placed in the Exit Control List (ECL), which bars him from leaving the country.

The office of the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) on October 1, 2014 had submitted records along with court orders in the Supreme Court against Musharraf in six different cases, such as Lal Masjid case, Benazir Bhutto murder case, judges’ detention case and Nawab Akbar Bughti murder case among others.