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Musharraf left Pakistan after 'offshore deal' with govt: Aide

 A close aide to General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has claimed that travel restrictions on the former military ruler were lifted as a result of an 'off-shore deal' struck with the government.
Ahmed Raza Kasuri, the chief coordinator of Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), negates the government's version that Musharraf's name was struck off the Exit Control List (ECL) in compliance with the Supreme Court orders.
Musharraf is facing a slew of court cases on different charges, including high treason for subverting the Constitution in 2007. He flew to Dubai on Thursday morning after the government lifted international travel restrictions on him. A day earlier, the top court directed the government to remove Musharraf's name from the ECL.
"At 2am on Thursday, my phone rang. It was General Sahib (Musharraf) on the line. General Sahib took me into confidence and shared details of the agreement (struck with the government) before his departure," Kasuri told The Express Tribune.
As a first step towards its implementation, Attorney-General Salman Aslam Butt did not argue against the Supreme Court order for lifting travel restrictions on Musharraf, according to Kasuri. The agreement also envisages the government will wrap up the treason trial, he said. "I will disclose contents of the deal at an appropriate time," said Kasuri when pressed for details.
Meanwhile, Gen Musharraf has said that he is not afraid of cases in the courts against him and he will return home soon after he recovers.
Musharaf has been telling those visiting him at his residence in Dubai he is not scared of returning to Pakistan. He would not like to stay a day longer after he gets well. He hoped he would get justice from courts in Pakistan.
news@khaleejtimes.com