Musharraf's request for treatment abroad rejected

The government Wednesday rejected a request by former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf to allow him to go abroad for his own treatment and to look after his ailing mother, officials said.

Musharraf, who was indicted in a high treason case Monday for abrogating the constitution in 2007, had requested the interior ministry to remove his name from the list of those who are barred from leaving the country.

"Musharraf's request cannot be accepted in public interest," the interior ministry said in a letter to the former army strongman.

A statement said the decision was made after the government reviewed all the criminal cases against him and verdicts in previous cases by the highest judiciary, according to Xinhua.

The rejection of Musharraf's request means that he will now stay in the country despite strong rumours in the local media that the former president could be allowed to leave Pakistan.

The government had barred Musharraf from going abroad and has placed his name on the Exit Control List (ECL) after he was charged in several cases including the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and high treason.

On March 31, Musharraf had filed an application in the court through his defence lawyer, Farogh Nasim, seeking the court's permission to allow him to leave Pakistan for his treatment in the US. He had also wanted to proceed to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to inquire about the health of his mother, who is under treatment at a hospital there.

The three-member special bench, however, rejected Musharraf's application and advised him to approach the federal government as the government has placed his name on the ECL. Now the interior ministry also dismissed his request for permission to go abroad for treatment.

A military hospital, where Musharraf has been getting treatment for three months, said in an earlier medical report that the former military ruler wanted to go abroad for treatment.

Musharraf was taken to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi Jan 2 after his lawyers said he felt some pain in the chest.

The court in a previous ruling said Musharraf can get treatment in Pakistan as all facilities are available in the hospital where he is currently under treatment.