“I have taken a big risk returning home now. But tears come to my eyes seeing the state of the country now. I ask where is the Pakistan I had left five years ago,” he said.
“People have tried to sabotage my first public rally in Karachi and already hurdles are being created for me but I am ready to face all challenges whether they are security, political or legal issues,” Musharraf said.
The former President claimed that he had been implicated in a lot of cases while in exile but he was ready to face them because he wanted to see Pakistan prosper again.
“My party slogan today is save Pakistan. I am thankful and happy to see so many people come to welcome me,” he said.
Delhi-born Musharraf was the mastermind and strategic field commander behind the highly controversial and internationally condemned Kargil infiltration, which derailed peace negotiations with India.
Musharraf had left Pakistan on April 19, 2009, saying he was going abroad for a series of lectures. He did not return from that trip and several courts issued arrest warrants for the former President in connection with the killings of Bhutto and Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Bugti.
Since then, Musharraf has been shuttling between London and Dubai and earned hundreds of thousands of dollars on worldwide lecture tours.
On March 22, The Sindh High Court granted a 10 day pre-arrest bail to Musharraf in several cases in some of which he has been declared a proclaimed offender.
Yesterday, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan threatened to use suicide bombers to target Musharraf when he returns home.
In a video released to reporters in northwest Pakistan, TTP spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said, “We will not leave you alive.”
His planned press conference at the airport here was cancelled and would be held later in the week in Islamabad.
Earlier members of his party had said security officials had advised Musharraf to not hold the press conference or address any rally because of security threats to his life.
“But after hours of negotiations the former President made it clear he will not leave the terminal building without first addressing the media and his supporters who have come in thousands to welcome him home,” party spokesman Arif Ishaq said.
The Sindh home department also revoked the NOC issued to the APML to hold a public rally at the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam in the city later in the day which Musharraf was supposed to address to mark his return to Pakistan.
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