Pak courts will decide Musharraf's fate, says senior minister

The future of former president General (rtrd) Pervez Musharraf will be decided by the courts as his case is being pursued, a senior Pakistani minister has said.

Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid said Pakistan army is a respectable institution and direct criticism on it is regretful.

Rashid said the Musharaf case is subjudice and currently proceedings are before a court of competent jurisdiction.

As such, any leading or conclusive public announcements or prejudgments would be a violation of legal norms and the principles of equity and justice, he said.

He added that any insinuation, oblique or direct remarks about the institution are, therefore, regrettable.

He categorically denied reports that the government's decision to reject Musharaf's request from removing his name from Exit Control List (ECL) was taken after consultations with Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif.

According to the Nation, he said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has not held any meeting with the army chief to strike Musharraf's name off the ECL.