An ailing Pervez Musharraf on Friday left for Dubai hours after the Pakistani Government allowed the former dictator facing trial in a number of cases, including for high treason, to go abroad for medical treatment.
“I am a commando and I love my homeland. I will come back in a few weeks or months,” said 72-year-old Musharraf, who is suffering from a spinal cord ailment.
Vowing to face all pending cases against him, Musharraf said he was keeping himself abreast with developments in the country and will actively take part in politics after his return.
He said he was going abroad to seek “medical treatment of a decade-old illness which has now developed several complications”.
The former military ruler boarded the Emirates flight 611 bound for Dubai that departed from Karachi airport at 3.55 am (0425 IST).
“He was the last person to be embarked on the plane and then the gate was closed. The retired general appeared relaxed,” a media report quoted an airport source as saying.
He landed in Dubai at 5am.