Can diplomatic passport be issued to an absconder?

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is mulling over whether a diplomatic passport can be issued to a court absconder after receiving a request from former president General (R) Pervez Musharraf for renewal of his diplomatic passport.
According to sources, the Foreign Office received a reference from the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai and forwarded it to the Interior Ministry seeking opinion. The caretaker government of ex-prime minister Justice (R) Mir Hazar Khan Khosa had renewed Musharraf’s diplomatic passport for five years in 2013 which would expire on March 16, 2018.
Under rules, anyone whose passport’s validity is below six months can’t enter any country.
Musharraf was allowed to visit Britain last month provided he produced a return ticket after the Pakistan Consulate told him that renewal of his passport before the visit was not possible as his request needed the federal government’s approval.
According to sources, though the Interior Ministry has received Musharraf’s request, it is still at the bureaucratic level and is yet to reach the office of Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
Sources said the government was in no hurry and will take a decision after considering all the facts.
Musharraf has been declared an absconder by the courts in four major cases i.e. the treason case, Benazir Bhutto murder case, Lal Masjid operation case and the judges’ detention case.
The government will examine whether a diplomatic passport could be issued to a person who has been declared an absconder by the courts.
The government will also examine which passport was issued to the exiled prime minster Muhammad Nawaz Sharif during the dictatorial regime of Pervez Musharraf.
According to sources, during the exile period Nawaz Sharif was given a blue passport (official Passport) instead of a diplomatic passport in spite of the fact that he was twice elected as prime minister and under rules an ex-prime minister is eligible to a diplomatic passport.
The government will also examine why and on what basis the caretaker government had issued a diplomatic passport to Pervez Musharraf.
Under rules, the Interior Ministry has the power to issue and renew diplomatic passports of all the former presidents, prime ministers and other authorised persons.
Sources said the decision on Musharraf’s request will be communicated to the Foreign Office which will convey it to the Pakistani Consulate in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal told The News that Pervez Musharraf’s request for renewal of passport was yet to reach his office and probably it would be at the bureaucratic level.
Secretary General All Pakistan Muslim League Dr Muhammad Amjad said the matter was in process and expressed the hope that it would be resolved soon.
“General (R) Pervez Musharraf has already gone to London and still has time, so this issue will be resolved before the expiry of passport,” he added.