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Army 'May Intervene Over Pakistan's Decline'
Alex Crawford, special correspondent
Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf has warned the army may have to intervene again in politics, if the country continues to decline.
He added Pakistan may be forced to take matters into their own hands - which could include working with the Taliban - if it continues to feel alienated by the rest of the world.
Mr Musharraf was speaking exclusively to Sky News from his new home in the United Arab Emirates, where he is in self-imposed exile.
"There is no bar against me going back to Pakistan. But the conditions have to be right," he said.
The former general is building his own political party with the intention of returning to Pakistan to take on the current government in a bid for power.
It would be an astonishing turnaround for a man who resigned more than two years ago before almost certainly being impeached.
Mr Musharraf spoke extensively in a wide-ranging interview which covered his return to politics, his regret at the circumstances surrounding his resignation and the future.
He was most concerned over the threat he sees coming from the developing relationship between America, India and Afghanistan.
"They are creating an anti-Pakistan Afghanistan and America has to realise that," he said.
"What should Pakistan do? What should ISI (the Pakistan intelligence agency) do? What does the Army chief do? They'll make a strategy of protecting themselves."
I asked whether that would mean working with the Taliban.
He replied: "No comment, no comment.
"We must understand, the protection of Pakistan is everything as far as I’m concerned.
"If someone is disturbing that I will go to any extent to protect Pakistan, because that's what I'm meant for. So you can see the answer yourself."
He issued this warning to the West: "Pakistan has to be protected. If you don't help, if no-one helps and instead is helping the other side, the side which is trying to disturb and destabilise us, well, then Pakistan has to take its own measures."
Pakistan, he said, is in a terrible state - with its economy in crisis, high unemployment, mass discontent - and this as well as having terrorists on its soil.
Mr Musharraf said his return and his attempt to become an elected politician would this time "give me the legitimacy which maybe last time I didn't have because, in the eyes of the world, I was a dictator."
The man who first took power in a bloodless coup also said the army may still have to play a role in determining the future leadership.
"You have to remember, in Pakistan the armed forces play a very big and important role," he said.
"It is strong and well-administered and wherever there is turmoil, the people run to the army.
"I have always been of the opinion the army should have a role in the constitution, so it can voice its opinion and influence what happens in the country.
"The whole world thinks that is politicising the army. It isn't."
But he went onto say the army chief always had the quandary of upholding national security, ensuring the survival of the state as well as balancing that against upholding democracy.
"Is democracy more important than the state?" he asked.
"This is the question that arises. And the army is in between. The Army is the saviour. The Army can save the state. It cannot save democracy."
Alex Crawford, special correspondent
Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf has warned the army may have to intervene again in politics, if the country continues to decline.
He added Pakistan may be forced to take matters into their own hands - which could include working with the Taliban - if it continues to feel alienated by the rest of the world.
Mr Musharraf was speaking exclusively to Sky News from his new home in the United Arab Emirates, where he is in self-imposed exile.
"There is no bar against me going back to Pakistan. But the conditions have to be right," he said.
The former general is building his own political party with the intention of returning to Pakistan to take on the current government in a bid for power.
It would be an astonishing turnaround for a man who resigned more than two years ago before almost certainly being impeached.
Mr Musharraf spoke extensively in a wide-ranging interview which covered his return to politics, his regret at the circumstances surrounding his resignation and the future.
He was most concerned over the threat he sees coming from the developing relationship between America, India and Afghanistan.
"They are creating an anti-Pakistan Afghanistan and America has to realise that," he said.
"What should Pakistan do? What should ISI (the Pakistan intelligence agency) do? What does the Army chief do? They'll make a strategy of protecting themselves."
I asked whether that would mean working with the Taliban.
He replied: "No comment, no comment.
"We must understand, the protection of Pakistan is everything as far as I’m concerned.
"If someone is disturbing that I will go to any extent to protect Pakistan, because that's what I'm meant for. So you can see the answer yourself."
He issued this warning to the West: "Pakistan has to be protected. If you don't help, if no-one helps and instead is helping the other side, the side which is trying to disturb and destabilise us, well, then Pakistan has to take its own measures."
Pakistan, he said, is in a terrible state - with its economy in crisis, high unemployment, mass discontent - and this as well as having terrorists on its soil.
Mr Musharraf said his return and his attempt to become an elected politician would this time "give me the legitimacy which maybe last time I didn't have because, in the eyes of the world, I was a dictator."
The man who first took power in a bloodless coup also said the army may still have to play a role in determining the future leadership.
"You have to remember, in Pakistan the armed forces play a very big and important role," he said.
"It is strong and well-administered and wherever there is turmoil, the people run to the army.
"I have always been of the opinion the army should have a role in the constitution, so it can voice its opinion and influence what happens in the country.
"The whole world thinks that is politicising the army. It isn't."
But he went onto say the army chief always had the quandary of upholding national security, ensuring the survival of the state as well as balancing that against upholding democracy.
"Is democracy more important than the state?" he asked.
"This is the question that arises. And the army is in between. The Army is the saviour. The Army can save the state. It cannot save democracy."
