Three years ago, he handed over much of his power to the prime minister -- and in the process, robbed his critics of the accusation that he was amassing power like his predecessor.

He also transferred some power from the central government to the provincial level.

Musharraf's return

Against this backdrop comes news that Musharraf plans to return to Pakistan from self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates, and lead his party in upcoming elections.

Musharraf plans to fly on a commercial airline into Karachi on March 24, then attend a rally with 50,000 people, including more than 200 Pakistani expatriates from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, he said in a statement.

Five years is often enough time for a populace to forgive and forget.

It remains to be seen whether Pakistan, now soured by PPP's reign, welcomes him back with open arms.