ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) chairman retired Gen Pervez Musharraf has said that he was all set to return to the country but the Supreme Court order forced him to change his mind.

Speaking to journalists through a video link, the former president said the apex court order “barring the authorities from arresting me till my appearance before the august court has forced me to rethink my plans about return”.

“There will be no benefit of my return to the country if I am arrested just after my appearance before the court,” he said.

“The entire world knows that I am not a coward, but now I will wait for an appropriate time to return,” Mr Musharraf said.

In reply to a question about the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) probe into his assets, the former army chief said he was living in a three-bedroom apartment and the bureau must investigate his assets and he would fully cooperate with it.

Before the video-link interaction with journalists, Mr Musharraf also addressed the APML’s National Assembly candidates and answered their questions.

Meanwhile, APML president Dr Muhammad Amjad said that Mr Musharraf was willing to return to the country, but the Supreme Court had given him insufficient time under which arrangements for his travel, accommodation and security could not be made.

He alleged that the caretaker government was not allowing Mr Musharraf’s return as it had blocked his CNIC and passport when the Supreme Court asked the APML chief to come back to the country.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2018