Islamabad: Gen. (Retd) Pervaiz Musharraf formally applied for a visit Visa by visiting the British High Commission on Thursday afternoon, where he was asked to go through the usual bio-matrix examination (taking digital fingerprints and photographs) for the visa application processing, informed the reliable sources.
“I can only confirm that Mr. Musharraf was here for visa application processing,” confirmed a spokesperson of British High Commission Mr. Habib. He, however, refused to divulge any further details but sources privy to this development confirmed that former President remained at the High Commission for couple of hours and was received by the British High Commissioner HE Robert Brinkley. Gen. (Retd) Musharraf is not holding a diplomatic passport and hence is required to get the visa, informed the sources at the Foreign office seeking anonymity. Therefore, he was asked to formally file an application for a visit visa to Britain and later his finger prints and photos were taken for further processing of the visa. Sources said that like any other applicant, his visa application would be sent for security clearance to the Home Office in UK and then the former President would be issued a visit visa, not intended for work.
Sources avoided divulging the information about Mr. Musharraf’s meeting with the British High Commissioner on Thursday and the contents of their meeting and insisted that the purpose was a goodwill call on Mr. Brinkley and initiate the visa processing. British High Commission spokesperson also avoided giving any further information about the visit of Mr. Musharraf to the High Commission building and his activities within the premises.
After almost a month long closure, the public visa processing centers of British High Commission resumed working in Islamabad from this week while Karachi and Lahore had already started working in first and second week of October, respectively. But due to security reasons, Mr. Musharraf was given the facility to use the safer environments of British High Commission.
Former President of Pakistan and former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. (Retd) Musharraf after resigning from the office of the President in Aug 2008 has been lying low and avoiding any direct contact with the media. He has been dubbed as darling of the western world soon-after he pledged to extend un-abetted cooperation to Americans in their war against terrorism in the wake of 9/11 attacks on twin towers in 2001. He has remained chief executive of the country and held both the office of the army chief and the civilian president till January 2008, whne he choose to part ways with the uniform and continue as controversially elected president of Pakistan. He is considered to have bowed out of power following a deal brokered by the British, US and Saudis which provided him complete immunity from any past wrongdoings, including breach of constitution, thousands missing political activists, sacking of chief justice of Pakistan. He was also supposed to stay away from public statements for an initial period of four months and it seems that moratorium on his speech writes will be over once he embarks on a UK and US visit, expected to start January 2008.
Sources claim that the former military ruler is scheduled to visit the Britain around first week of January, and perhaps will also make public statements. This trip might be linked with his already scheduled visit to US in January where he is likely to deliver lectures at various universities to enlighten the western world and the world at large about his moderation stint of eight years, added the sources. Sources were of the view that besides some lectures, Mr. Musharraf would have lots of personal and some political appointments but a detailed version of his schedule might not be available till start of next month as many modalities are being worked out at this point in time, disclosed the sources.
Mr. Musharraf is also planning to visit the Saudi kingdom for performing Umera and meeting the royal family members before or after the UK and US visit, informed the sources.
Saeed Ahmed
November 21, 2008 
