Every crest concludes in a trough, and if there is anyone who can validate this fact today in Pakistan, it is former military dictator-turned President, Pervez Musharraf. His recent trip to Saudi Arabia has prompted Pakistan’s papers to report conflicting news regarding his prosecution on charges of high treason.

Daily Times reported on September 1: “Pervez Musharraf arrived in Riyadh on Monday, where he will meet Saudi King Abdullah. He had reached Saudi Arabia on a special plane sent by the Saudi king and would be staying in the kingdom as a special guest of the Saudi royal family. King Abdullah would host an Iftar dinner for him. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik has left Saudi Arabia for Pakistan. He said he had not met Musharraf there.”

Upon his return, Malik was quoted by Dawn as saying: “‘There will be no trial of Musharraf unless Parliament adopts a resolution seeking his trial.’ There were reports Malik had met him there.”

The Saudis, are coming to the General’s rescue, as reports Daily Times on September 2. “The Saudi authorities have formally sent a message to the Pakistani leadership that they want stability in Pakistan, with King Abdullah urging all stakeholders to abide by an agreement that rules out any action against former President Pervez Musharraf... The Saudi king played the role of a guarantor at the time of Musharraf’s resignation and assured the former president that no action would be taken against him. The king said that if a party or an individual backed out of the agreement reached, Pak-Saudi relations would be affected. Nawaz Sharif travels to Saudi Arabia next week to hold meetings with officials who would “force him to abide by the agreement...”

... contd.