Since President Pervez Musharraf has returned to Pakistan, I have to say it's hasn't been controversial as I imagined it to be. All we've seen so far is:
- Those who were most anti-Musharraf are silent.
- He's been prevented from taking part in the General Elections.
- He visits the courts every other day.
- Stays at his Farm House.
Somewhat boring really.
Anyway, he had left Pakistan on Sunday November 23, 2008 because many thought that President Pervez Musharraf's leadership and presence in the country was the sum of all the problems at that time.
After 1,582 days in exile he returned to Pakistan on Sunday March 24, 2013 mainly because by then the Pakistani media had been allowed in his absence to portray his exile as cowardice. That he was the Chief of the Army Staff, a Commando and he fled with his life and betrayed his people.
Well, he's back now. He's shut many up, most appear to be dumbstruck and he's pretty much saying do whatever you want to do.
A bit of history lesson
- Pakistan's first military-ruler Major-General Iskander Ali Mirza also went into exile. He spent his last days in London until his death in 1969. No one remembers him.
- Field Mashall Ayub Khan (second military-ruler), when he left office, nothing happened against him and he died in Pakistan in 1974. Unsure why he was spared by Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Maybe it was due to non-existence of the constitution at the time. Allahu Alam.
- COAS Yahya Khan (third military-ruler), when he resigned he was under house arrest for most part until his death in 1980.
- The fourth one - well... no one wanted to arrest or exile him.
So, to put the record straight, to give honour to the Armed Forces, to prove his bravery again as a Pakistani soldier (as if the wars he fought for Pakistan were not enough), President Pervez Musharraf once again has come back putting his own life on the line to say that if you truly believe he was the bad person, then do what must be done and he'll take it like a man.
A final very important note to remember...
When Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto stripped General Yahya Khan of his military decorations and put him under house arrest in 1971 until 1977, we all know what happened to Prime Minister Sahib in 1979.