Pakistan bans Musharraf from leaving country

Pakistan on Saturday banned former President Pervez Musharraf from leaving abroad a day after a court restrained him from going abroad, state media reported. Musharraf returned to Pakistan after over four-year self-exile and is now facing several cases including his government's failure to provide security to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in a suicide attack in 2007. The court in Karachi extended his protective bail on plea by his defence lawyers that the former military ruler is contesting elections. However, he was restrained to leave the country without the court's permission. The Interior Ministry on Saturday issued directives to the immigration authorities to put Musharraf's name on the Exit Control List (ECL), radio Pakistan reported. The Interior Ministry has sent a notification to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which deals with the immigration affairs at the airport. Musharraf is now leading his own political party the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), and will contest for parliamentary seats in the May 11 elections. The APML submitted his nomination forms in the northern Chitral district on Friday to fight for the National Assembly seat. Musharraf also plans to stand on more than one seats including one in Karachi. He will have to face strong opposition from his political rivals during scrutiny of nomination papers as he is facing charges in several high profile cases in which he has got temporary bail. Taliban have also publicly threatened Musharraf as he had carried out military operations against them in the tribal regions and the northwestern Swat valley. Musharraf's policies, particularly joining the U.S.-led coalition and giving Pakistani military basis to the American forces for attacks against the Afghan Taliban, had been highly controversial. He ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008 and went into exile after his resignation in August 2008. Musharraf's party said that he plans to come to Islamabad soon. The authorities have sealed his personal house in Islamabad after an anti-terrorism court had issued his arrest warrant for his failure to appear before it in Benazir's case.