Mujahideen Vows to Avenge upon Musharraf as he ends four years of self-imposed exile

Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf ended more than 

four years in self-imposed exile today - and immediately faced death threats from the Taliban. Security forces him whisked away in a convoy shortly after he touched down in Karachi and did not allow him to greet hundreds of supporters waiting at the airport, ready to shower him with rose petals. 


He has spent the last four years in Britain and Dubai. Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan between 2001 and 2008 after seizing power in a 1999 coup, tweeted that he was ‘thrilled to be back home’. 

He posted a picture of himself meeting with party workers after he landed. The 69-year-old is detested by militants because of his decision to side with the U.S. in the response to the 9/11 attacks.

Since the former general was forced from power, Pakistan’s civilian leadership has struggled with a sinking economy, resilient Islamic extremist factions and tensions with Washington over drone strikes and the secret raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
Musharraf’s supporters, including elements of the military and members of Pakistan’s influential expatriate communities, consider him a strong leader whose voice - even just in parliament - could help stabilise the country. 

Musharraf also faces legal charges, including some originating from the probe of the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who also spent time in self-imposed exile in Dubai before returning. 

The flight from Dubai came after several failed promises to return in recent years. Musharraf said in early March that he would lead his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, in May elections. 

The election comes as the country is struggling with rolling blackouts, rising inflation and widespread security problems. 

On Saturday, the Pakistan Taliban released a video threatening to unleash suicide bombers and snipers against Musharraf if he comes back. 

One of the two people speaking in the video was Adnan Rashid, a former Pakistani air force officer convicted in an attack against Musharraf. 

The Taliban broke Rashid out of prison last year, along with nearly 400 other detainees.
'The mujahedeen of Islam have prepared a death squad to send Pervez Musharraf to hell,' said Rashid, who spoke in the video in front of a group of about 20 militants holding rifles. 

'We warn you to surrender yourself to us. Otherwise we will hit you from where you will never reckon.'