Pakistan's Musharraf: Disappointed at concocted cases

Pakistan's former President, Pervez Musharraf, who faces murder and high treason cases, told a gathering of nearly 200 retired army officers in Islamabad on Tuesday that all cases against him are "concocted". Organizers had earlier told the media that the former president will attend the gathering, however, later he addressed via a video link. Musharraf mainly focused on his cases just a day ahead of a special court is scheduled to resume haring of the high treason case against him in Islamabad. The three-member bench has summoned him to appear on Wednesday. The former President could not appear before the judges last week after police said they found explosives and a pistol on Musharraf's route to the court. Again on Monday, the Islamabad police said they recovered explosives near Musharraf's house. The former military chief has earlier told reporters that he is facing threats from al-Qaeda, Pakistani Taliban groups and Baloch insurgents. "I am disappointed at the cases against me," Musharraf told the retired army officers, some of them senior. He said he had returned to Pakistan to face the cases in courts as he had been declared absconder and proclaimed offenders while his property and bank accounts frozen. "I have never begged for any help from anyone," the former President said amid reports that leaders of some friendly countries could broker a deal between him and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Pervez Musharraf resigned in 2008 and later went into self- exile and launched his political party All Pakistan Muslim League. He returned to Pakistan in March 2013 to take part in parliamentary elections. However, courts disqualified him for standing in the elections. Musharraf defended his return to Pakistan and said the country had been passing through a critical stage and he wanted to play come back for the country and the people. "I saw Pakistan going down and decided to return despite threats and risk to my life," he told the retired army officers and thanked them for support. He said coming back to the country was his own decision and he never sought support from anyone. Musharraf, who had taken over in a bloodless coup in 1999, also defended his policies and said he had acted for the interests of the country and the people. The former military leader said he is confident that the courts will do justice with him as he had nothing done wrong and that he had consulted people in all major decisions.