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| Musharraf Placed in Custody After Brief Freedom | Musharraf Placed in Custody After Brief Freedom |
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| ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A judge placed Pakistan’s former military leader, Pervez Musharraf, under arrest on Friday, as the country’s judiciary pursued its drive to hold him accountable for his actions during his nine years in power. | |
| Less than a day after Mr. Musharraf fled a courtroom in dramatic circumstances to his fortified villa on the edge of the city, the police escorted him back into central Islamabad where a magistrate placed him under arrest. Hours later, after being briefly released, he was brought to the city police headquarters where he was being held pending his next court appearance. | Less than a day after Mr. Musharraf fled a courtroom in dramatic circumstances to his fortified villa on the edge of the city, the police escorted him back into central Islamabad where a magistrate placed him under arrest. Hours later, after being briefly released, he was brought to the city police headquarters where he was being held pending his next court appearance. |
| The travails of the 69-year-old former army chief furthered the humiliation of a figure who enjoyed absolute power in Pakistan for much of his rule, from 1999 and 2008. But it also raised new questions about why he returned to the country in the first place. | The travails of the 69-year-old former army chief furthered the humiliation of a figure who enjoyed absolute power in Pakistan for much of his rule, from 1999 and 2008. But it also raised new questions about why he returned to the country in the first place. |
| Shortly after returning from a four-year exile last month, one angry critic threw a shoe at Mr. Musharraf in public. Since then he has been mostly confined to his Islamabad villa, protected by a sizable security contingent guarding against the possibility of Taliban attack. | Shortly after returning from a four-year exile last month, one angry critic threw a shoe at Mr. Musharraf in public. Since then he has been mostly confined to his Islamabad villa, protected by a sizable security contingent guarding against the possibility of Taliban attack. |
| His fledgling political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, has struggled to get off the ground. Until the drama of recent days, the media largely ignored him. And even his former comrades in the military appear to privately view him as more of a liability than an asset. | His fledgling political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, has struggled to get off the ground. Until the drama of recent days, the media largely ignored him. And even his former comrades in the military appear to privately view him as more of a liability than an asset. |
| “Musharraf obviously overestimated his popularity,” said Raza Rumi, a political analyst. “He was delusional in thinking he could ride out the storm, and he underestimated the resolve of the judges.” | “Musharraf obviously overestimated his popularity,” said Raza Rumi, a political analyst. “He was delusional in thinking he could ride out the storm, and he underestimated the resolve of the judges.” |
| “There are certainly people in urban Pakistan who think that things were better during his tenure,” Mr. Rumi added. “But the majority do not find him a credible leader. He ruled on the strength of his uniform, now that uniform is gone, and Pakistan has changed.” | “There are certainly people in urban Pakistan who think that things were better during his tenure,” Mr. Rumi added. “But the majority do not find him a credible leader. He ruled on the strength of his uniform, now that uniform is gone, and Pakistan has changed.” |
| The current case against Mr. Musharraf centers on his controversial decision to dismiss and place under house arrest the country’s top judges in November 2007, when he declared emergency rule in a bid to shore up his crumbling authority. Political aides said Mr. Musharraf is due to appear before an antiterrorism court over the charges, possibly as early as Saturday. | |
| Separately, he faces charges in relation to the murder of Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister, and Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, a nationalist Baloch leader. | Separately, he faces charges in relation to the murder of Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister, and Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, a nationalist Baloch leader. |
| And some critics are even trying to have him tried for high treason, a charge that carries a mandatory death penalty. | And some critics are even trying to have him tried for high treason, a charge that carries a mandatory death penalty. |
| The Supreme Court is hearing arguments about whether treason charges can be laid against him, although it appears that little can happen without the acquiescence of the caretaker government that is in charge in the run-up to elections scheduled for May 11. | |
| That interim administration, which has little political weight, has tried hard to distance itself from the case, apparently preferring for the matter to be taken up by the next elected government. | That interim administration, which has little political weight, has tried hard to distance itself from the case, apparently preferring for the matter to be taken up by the next elected government. |
| Aides have portrayed Mr. Musharraf as privately relaxed, saying that he had been smoking cigars at his farmhouse since his dramatic courtroom dash on Thursday. | Aides have portrayed Mr. Musharraf as privately relaxed, saying that he had been smoking cigars at his farmhouse since his dramatic courtroom dash on Thursday. |
| But that unflappable image was challenged on Friday when he returned to the Islamabad courts with a stony face, surrounded by tight security and dressed in traditional shalwar kameez clothes. | But that unflappable image was challenged on Friday when he returned to the Islamabad courts with a stony face, surrounded by tight security and dressed in traditional shalwar kameez clothes. |
| In a statement, Mr. Musharraf criticized the charges as “politically motivated” and vowed to fight them in court “where the truth will eventually prevail.” | In a statement, Mr. Musharraf criticized the charges as “politically motivated” and vowed to fight them in court “where the truth will eventually prevail.” |
| Mr. Musharraf’s hopes for a political comeback now appear to be in shreds, but his case has nonetheless shaken the country’s political system at a delicate time, when elections are less than a month away. | Mr. Musharraf’s hopes for a political comeback now appear to be in shreds, but his case has nonetheless shaken the country’s political system at a delicate time, when elections are less than a month away. |
| The sight of a former military ruler being hauled through the courts is a striking image in a country where generals have ruled for about half of the country’s 65-year history. | The sight of a former military ruler being hauled through the courts is a striking image in a country where generals have ruled for about half of the country’s 65-year history. |
| No former military ruler has ever been prosecuted in court for his actions while in power, although one, Gen. Yahya Khan, was placed under informal house detention for much of the 1970s after he lost the civil conflict that resulted in Pakistan’s eastern wing seceding to become Bangladesh. | No former military ruler has ever been prosecuted in court for his actions while in power, although one, Gen. Yahya Khan, was placed under informal house detention for much of the 1970s after he lost the civil conflict that resulted in Pakistan’s eastern wing seceding to become Bangladesh. |
| Now Mr. Musharraf is partly at the mercy of his nemesis, the chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, whom Mr. Musharraf fired in 2007, triggering street protests that eventually led to his ouster. | Now Mr. Musharraf is partly at the mercy of his nemesis, the chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, whom Mr. Musharraf fired in 2007, triggering street protests that eventually led to his ouster. |
| Under Mr. Chaudhry, the Supreme Court has aggressively asserted its authority over the last year, having one prime minister fired and taking to task senior retired generals for their actions in rigging previous elections. | Under Mr. Chaudhry, the Supreme Court has aggressively asserted its authority over the last year, having one prime minister fired and taking to task senior retired generals for their actions in rigging previous elections. |
| The country’s political leaders, including Nawaz Sharif, the opposition leader who is the favorite to become next prime minister, have remained conspicuously quiet about Mr. Musharraf . | |
| Although Mr. Sharif had previously demanded that Mr. Musharraf should face treason charges, he is believed to have come under pressure from the government of Saudi Arabia, which quietly wields considerable influence in Pakistan, to leave the retired four-star general alone. | Although Mr. Sharif had previously demanded that Mr. Musharraf should face treason charges, he is believed to have come under pressure from the government of Saudi Arabia, which quietly wields considerable influence in Pakistan, to leave the retired four-star general alone. |
| Many analysts view the prospect of treason charges with trepidation, fearing they could trigger a more aggressive military role. | Many analysts view the prospect of treason charges with trepidation, fearing they could trigger a more aggressive military role. |
| “Pakistan needs to punish people who abrogate the constitution, but it must not be personalized,” said Mr. Rumi, the analyst. “A whole crew of civilian and military personalities were involved in the process. Justice can only be done if all of them are taken to task.” | “Pakistan needs to punish people who abrogate the constitution, but it must not be personalized,” said Mr. Rumi, the analyst. “A whole crew of civilian and military personalities were involved in the process. Justice can only be done if all of them are taken to task.” |