Pervez Musharraf seeks forgiveness,says won’t flee Pakistan

As insisted by his close associates earlier,Musharraf said he will not leave the country to run away from the numerous cases registered against him including a high treason case. “I don’t want to run away cowardly and will face all the trials to makes the thing clear,” the former President said. “Let there be 100 trials,” he said in the interview aired Thursday night.

Musharraf has been granted bail in all four cases against him,including one over the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto,but is now facing trial in a special court on the charge of high treason for imposing emergency in 2007.

This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a former military dictator is facing trial for treason. If convicted,Musharraf could face either life imprisonment or the death penalty.

With a shawl around his shoulder,kurta-clad Musharraf sounded emotional at times and termed revival of the economy and tackling extremism and terrorism as most serious challenges the country is facing.

Asked about the negotiations with the Taliban and other militant groups,he said he supported it but “talks should be held from a position of strength”.

Musharraf however added that the Taliban and others were “our own people” who had gone astray.

Musharraf said 90 per cent officials of the time advised him not to liberate the media. “Frankly I shall want to take the credit of making the media free here,” he said.

Speaking about terrorism,Musharraf alleged there was always a foreign hand behind such acts including unrest in Balochistan and sectarianism.