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| India-Pakistan |
| No plane waiting to take Musharraf: Saudi Arabia |
| 2008-08-19 |
| DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has dismissed as "fabricated" reports that it has an aircraft waiting to take former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf to the kingdom where he could be offered asylum following his ouster. "This news is totally lacking in truth and is fabricated," Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Awad Esseiri was quoted as saying by Okaz newspaper on Tuesday. He was reacting to media reports that a Saudi plane was in Islamabad to transport Musharraf to Saudi Arabia amid speculation that he could be granted asylum in the kingdom after stepping down as President on Monday. The envoy said the kingdom was interested in "security, stability and sovereignty of Pakistan and will not interfere in internal political affairs" of its close ally, the Saudi newspaper reported. Saudi Arabia had earlier given asylum to former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif after his government was toppled in a bloodless military coup by Musharraf in October 1999. Sharif and his family were sent into exile to Jeddah in 2000 before their return home last November. Media reports in Pakistan also said that Musharraf was expected to travel to Saudi Arabia with his family for a pilgrimage to Mecca in the near future following which he would decide whether to live outside Pakistan. The reports said Musharraf would remain in Pakistan for some time before travelling to Saudi Arabia. |
| Posted by:john frum |