Musharraf's 'royal' treatment in Saudi Arabia worries his opponents in Pak India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The 'royal' treatment being given to former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf during his Saudi Arabia visit has his opponents worried. The special treatment has sparked speculations that Riyadh is trying to use its influence to ask the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to shun its demand for Musharraf's trial under the Article Six of the Constitution. Sources said King Abdullah sent his special airplane to London to fetch Musharraf. Reports regarding Saudi Arabia cracking its whip on the PML-N and other anti-Musharraf parties has probably forced PML-N to come out with clarificatiobns. A PML-N spokesman denied reports regarding Saudi putting pressure on PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. "There has been no official message from the Saudi family to Mian Nawaz Sharif in this regard," The Dawn quoted a PML-N spokesperson, as saying. One of Musharraf's close aides, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, who claims to be the former Army General's spokesman, said the PML-N should think once again before demanding Musharraf's prosecution, and see what kind of treatment he is receiving in Riyadh. "The PML-N should see and understand how the former president is being treated by the Saudi government and forget about his (Musharraf) trial for treason" Saif said. When asked that whether the Saudi Government has actually given Musharraf a guarantee of not being tried, Saif said : "I don't know anything about this, but there is little possibility of Gen Musharraf facing trial only because the PML-N is asking for that." "I am not aware of this, but the way the former president is being treated in the kingdom means he cannot be touched in Pakistan," he added.