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| Former President Returns to Pakistan | Former President Returns to Pakistan |
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| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s onetime military ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, ended four years of self-imposed exile on Sunday, aiming to carve out a political future, but he received an unremarkable welcome as he landed at the airport in Karachi. | ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s onetime military ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, ended four years of self-imposed exile on Sunday, aiming to carve out a political future, but he received an unremarkable welcome as he landed at the airport in Karachi. |
| General Musharraf, who resigned as president in August 2008 under threat of impeachment and left the county the following April, arrived early Sunday afternoon on a flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A small crowd gathered at the airport and shouted slogans in his support. | |
| Mr. Musharraf appeared upbeat as he arrived. “I respect your emotions,” he said, waving to the crowd. “Thank you, thank you,” he said as his supporters shouted, “Long live Musharraf!” | Mr. Musharraf appeared upbeat as he arrived. “I respect your emotions,” he said, waving to the crowd. “Thank you, thank you,” he said as his supporters shouted, “Long live Musharraf!” |
| “I have returned. People used to think that I would not return, but I have come back,” Mr. Musharraf said. “I am not scared of anyone but God.” | “I have returned. People used to think that I would not return, but I have come back,” Mr. Musharraf said. “I am not scared of anyone but God.” |
| “I have put my life in danger, but I want to save Pakistan,” he added. | “I have put my life in danger, but I want to save Pakistan,” he added. |
| Mr. Musharraf faces myriad challenges, both political and personal: Taliban militants have threatened to kill him upon his return, but in his characteristic bravado, Mr. Musharraf has brushed aside the concerns for his life. He has also survived several assassination attempts by the Taliban and Al Qaeda. | Mr. Musharraf faces myriad challenges, both political and personal: Taliban militants have threatened to kill him upon his return, but in his characteristic bravado, Mr. Musharraf has brushed aside the concerns for his life. He has also survived several assassination attempts by the Taliban and Al Qaeda. |
| During his tenure as president, Mr. Musharraf battled with Islamist extremists, who have continued to gain strength and challenge the state, especially in the country’s restive northwestern regions. Numerous court cases await Mr. Musharraf, and before returning he managed to arrange pre-arrest bail in three cases in which he faces criminal charges — in the deaths of the former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and a Baluch leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti. He has denied the charges. | During his tenure as president, Mr. Musharraf battled with Islamist extremists, who have continued to gain strength and challenge the state, especially in the country’s restive northwestern regions. Numerous court cases await Mr. Musharraf, and before returning he managed to arrange pre-arrest bail in three cases in which he faces criminal charges — in the deaths of the former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and a Baluch leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti. He has denied the charges. |
| News of Mr. Musharraf’s return was nearly overshadowed by the announcement on Sunday that a caretaker prime minister had been appointed — a decision keenly awaited by political analysts. Pakistan’s chief election commissioner announced that Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, a retired justice, would serve as prime minister and lead the government until May 11, when general elections are scheduled. | News of Mr. Musharraf’s return was nearly overshadowed by the announcement on Sunday that a caretaker prime minister had been appointed — a decision keenly awaited by political analysts. Pakistan’s chief election commissioner announced that Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, a retired justice, would serve as prime minister and lead the government until May 11, when general elections are scheduled. |
| Mr. Khoso, 84, has served as a chief justice of Baluchistan Province, and his appointment was widely welcomed in political circles. | Mr. Khoso, 84, has served as a chief justice of Baluchistan Province, and his appointment was widely welcomed in political circles. |
| “My first priority is to hold fair, free and transparent elections,” Mr. Khoso said, speaking with reporters in Islamabad. | “My first priority is to hold fair, free and transparent elections,” Mr. Khoso said, speaking with reporters in Islamabad. |
| Rashid Qureshi, a retired general and a leader of Mr. Musharraf’s political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, disputed reports that Mr. Musharraf had received a lukewarm reception on his return. He said supporters of the former president had been planning a big rally on Sunday night, but it was canceled because of security concerns. | Rashid Qureshi, a retired general and a leader of Mr. Musharraf’s political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, disputed reports that Mr. Musharraf had received a lukewarm reception on his return. He said supporters of the former president had been planning a big rally on Sunday night, but it was canceled because of security concerns. |
| “The government informed us that there was a serious threat to General Musharraf’s life, and the Taliban were going to try to kill him by a multipronged attack, including snipers and suicide bombers,” Mr. Qureshi said Sunday night. He said the government gave its permission for the rally too late to inform everyone. | “The government informed us that there was a serious threat to General Musharraf’s life, and the Taliban were going to try to kill him by a multipronged attack, including snipers and suicide bombers,” Mr. Qureshi said Sunday night. He said the government gave its permission for the rally too late to inform everyone. |
| Still, Mr. Qureshi said many supporters went to Jinnah’s Mauseoleum, the site of the rally, but “efforts to bring everyone to the airport did not succeed.” | Still, Mr. Qureshi said many supporters went to Jinnah’s Mauseoleum, the site of the rally, but “efforts to bring everyone to the airport did not succeed.” |
| He said that the authorities did not allow Mr. Musharraf to speak outside the airport, but that he made brief remarks to the crowd inside. | He said that the authorities did not allow Mr. Musharraf to speak outside the airport, but that he made brief remarks to the crowd inside. |
| Mr. Musharraf plans to meet with party officials on Monday, Mr. Qureshi said. | Mr. Musharraf plans to meet with party officials on Monday, Mr. Qureshi said. |
| Mr. Musharraf hopes that his political party will be able to offer a third choice to voters, many of whom are disillusioned by the Pakistan Peoples Party, led by President Asif Ali Zardari, and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which is led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. | Mr. Musharraf hopes that his political party will be able to offer a third choice to voters, many of whom are disillusioned by the Pakistan Peoples Party, led by President Asif Ali Zardari, and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which is led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. |
| In addition, Imran Khan, a cricket star turned politician, is gaining traction as an alternative to the main parties, analysts say. | In addition, Imran Khan, a cricket star turned politician, is gaining traction as an alternative to the main parties, analysts say. |
| Mr. Khan held a rally in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday night, cheered by a boisterous crowd of hundreds of thousands of young men and women who form his support base. | Mr. Khan held a rally in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday night, cheered by a boisterous crowd of hundreds of thousands of young men and women who form his support base. |
| Political analysts dismissed any chance that Mr. Musharraf could succeed in reviving his political fortunes. | Political analysts dismissed any chance that Mr. Musharraf could succeed in reviving his political fortunes. |
| “Musharraf will not be able to make any significant political impact,” said Farooq Hameed Khan, a retired brigadier and columnist for The News, an English daily. | “Musharraf will not be able to make any significant political impact,” said Farooq Hameed Khan, a retired brigadier and columnist for The News, an English daily. |
| Several of Mr. Musharraf’s allies and colleagues have distanced themselves from him and offered little or no support. “I don’t think he can make a political difference,” said Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who served as minister for information and railways under Mr. Musharraf. | Several of Mr. Musharraf’s allies and colleagues have distanced themselves from him and offered little or no support. “I don’t think he can make a political difference,” said Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who served as minister for information and railways under Mr. Musharraf. |
| Mr. Musharraf took power after a bloodless coup in 1999, but his rule began to unravel in 2007, when he tried to dismiss Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the country’s crusading chief justice. A subsequent opposition movement led by the country’s lawyers, and supported by opposition politicians, weakened Mr. Musharraf’s grip on power, and a political party, Pakistan Muslim League-Q, which was his political support, lost badly in 2008 elections. | Mr. Musharraf took power after a bloodless coup in 1999, but his rule began to unravel in 2007, when he tried to dismiss Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the country’s crusading chief justice. A subsequent opposition movement led by the country’s lawyers, and supported by opposition politicians, weakened Mr. Musharraf’s grip on power, and a political party, Pakistan Muslim League-Q, which was his political support, lost badly in 2008 elections. |
| Mr. Musharraf hopes to move beyond his past. | Mr. Musharraf hopes to move beyond his past. |
| “Where is the Pakistan that I had left years ago?” he said in his brief address to supporters at the Karachi airport. “My heart cries when I see the state of the country.” | “Where is the Pakistan that I had left years ago?” he said in his brief address to supporters at the Karachi airport. “My heart cries when I see the state of the country.” |
| He said he planned to take a countrywide tour to meet his supporters. | He said he planned to take a countrywide tour to meet his supporters. |
| Mr. Musharraf said he intended to move next week to Islamabad, the capital, where he maintains a lavish farmhouse, his aides said. | Mr. Musharraf said he intended to move next week to Islamabad, the capital, where he maintains a lavish farmhouse, his aides said. |