This is in response to the article “Musharraf flees courtroom after judge orders his arrest” in April 19 Saudi Gazette. The irony of the situation is really tragic. The former president of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, should have realized that in politics nobody is anybody’s friend.

On what premise the former general re-entered Pakistan is anybody’s guess. The fact that the lawyers in Pakistan, who had sparked judicial activism during the fag end of his tenure, have not forgetten nor forgiven is evident. Musharraf had also left himself no room to maneuver with his strong-arm tactics against politicians, who have shown that they are fair-weather friends. Musharraf should have read the signs that the people are not with him when they failed to turn up in large numbers to greet him on arrival, the EC’s obdurate action in denying him a place to stand in all the constituencies he applied and the continued activism of the legal professionals. In the end he had to flee — and flee he did from the courtroom.

Ashfaque via email