ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf may not return to his home country any time soon, said one of his close confidants on Saturday, since doctors have asked him to avoid air travel.
Musharraf came into power in a bloodless coup in 1999 after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif tried to dismiss him as army chief. After ruling the country for almost a decade, he was put on a treason trial and sentenced to death in absentia for violating the constitution.
Prior to that, however, Musharraf had left Pakistan in 2016 to seek medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates. He has lived in the Arab country since then, though it was said more recently that he was in a critical condition and wanted to return to Pakistan.
In a conversation to a local newspaper, his former principal secretary, Tariq Aziz, said that “Musharraf was keen to return home but his doctors were coming in the way.”
He informed that the UAE government was prepared to provide him a wide-bodied Boeing-777 plane by converting it into an air ambulance, but the doctors were advising him against air travel.
“Aziz said that the former president was admitted to a state-of-the-art hospital in the UAE,” The News wrote. “A competent team of doctors was attending to him but staying away from the motherland was causing him uneasiness.”
Aziz, who became friends with Musharraf in the college, said he was in touch with the former general’s family in the UAE.
In the last few days, Pakistan’s top civil and military leaders have said that Musharraf should be allowed to return to the country, though there are several politicians and civil society activists who have been demanding his accountability.
Aziz said that Musharraf was grateful to all those who had prayed for his health despite their political differences with him.
Musharraf advised against flying back to Pakistan due to medical reasons — media
https://arab.news/bscry
Musharraf advised against flying back to Pakistan due to medical reasons — media
- According to one of his close confidants, the UAE is willing to provide the former general an air ambulance
- Tariq Aziz says a competent team of doctors is looking after Musharraf in the Middle Eastern country
Pakistan warns of heavy rain, snowfall and landslide risks in northern districts from today
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa says snowfall can make roads slippery in tourist resorts like Naran, Kaghan and Kalam
- Provincial authorities warn tourists and travelers to avoid unnecessary movement during the weather spell
PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa warned Friday heavy rains and snowfall expected from today through Dec. 15 could trigger landslides, road closures and hazardous travel conditions across the northern districts.
The alert follows forecasts of widespread precipitation in the province’s mountainous regions, where steep slopes and winter road conditions routinely heighten the risk of disruption.
Dense fog is also expected in the plains, including Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera and Swabi, potentially affecting visibility and slowing motorway traffic.
“The Provincial Disaster Management Authority has issued alerts to all relevant departments to take advance precautionary measures,” the agency said.
It warned that snowfall could make roads slippery in areas such as Naran, Kaghan, Kalam and Jabba, while heavy rain and snow “may increase the risk of landsliding.”
Residents living close to rivers, streams and seasonal water channels were advised to remain vigilant.
Rain and snowfall are also forecast in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Galyat, Haripur, Buner, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram and North and South Waziristan.
Tourists and travelers were urged to avoid unnecessary movement during the weather spell. Daytime temperatures are expected to fall sharply as the cold system intensifies.
Local administrations have also been instructed to keep drainage systems active ahead of the expected rainfall.
Pakistan has faced a series of extreme-weather emergencies in recent years — from devastating floods in 2022 to recurring droughts and record heatwaves — despite contributing less than one percent to global carbon emissions.
Officials say climate volatility has made mountainous regions more prone to landslides and flash floods, highlighting the importance of early warnings and local preparedness.
