In The Media
Petr Topychkanov
{
"authors": [
"Petr Topychkanov"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [
"Eurasia in Transition"
],
"regions": [
"South Asia",
"Pakistan"
],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Military"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Former Pakistan President Could Face Treason Charges
The arrest of Pervez Musharraf is a momentous event for Pakistan, since his conviction would deprive the country’s military establishment of impunity it has long enjoyed.
Published on Apr 22, 2013
Source: Voice of Russia's Morning Show
After returning from a four-year exile, Pervez Musharraf is in custody. Carnegie Moscow Center’s Petr Topychkanov spoke about reasons for Musharraf’s return to Pakistan after four years of exile and his recent arrest with Voice of Russia’s Ric Young.Regarding Musharraf’s reasons to return and participate in elections, Topychkanov noted that the former Pakistani president and top commander hoped for the support of the military establishment and military-owned businesses. However, while in exile he was unable to accurately gauge the changes in the Pakistan’s political environment , Topychkanov said. Musharraf thus made a mistake deciding to return to the country, where he actually had no support whatsoever.
According to Topychkanov, the arrest of Musharraf is a momentous event for Pakistan since his conviction would deprive the country’s military establishment of the legal impunity it has been enjoying for a long time.
Topychkanov admitted that there is no doubt the judges will try to bring all the possible charges against Musharraf, including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. However, it is hard to predict whether he will be imprisoned since he will try to reach some sort of agreement with Pakistani judges and current politicians, Topychkanov concluded.
About the Author
Petr Topychkanov
Former Fellow, Nonproliferation Program, Moscow Center
Topychkanov was a fellow in the Carnegie Moscow Center’s Nonproliferation Program.
- Iranian and Russian Perspectives on the Global System
- Premonition of Nuclear ThreatIn The Media
Petr Topychkanov
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
- Neither Comrade nor Ally: Decoding Vietnam’s First Army Drill with ChinaCommentary
In July 2025, Vietnam and China held their first joint army drill, a modest but symbolic move reflecting Hanoi’s strategic hedging amid U.S.–China rivalry.
Nguyễn Khắc Giang
- Northeast Asia Is for Deterrence and Southeast Asia Is (Mostly) for Freeriding: Appreciating Divergent East Asian Approaches to Order, Uncertainty, and ContestationArticle
Most Southeast Asian states behave as if the actions of their Northeast Asian neighbors and the Philippines will be sufficient to maintain a regional status quo from which they can benefit.
Chong Ja Ian
- China’s Rising Influence in the Middle EastCommentary
Transactional relationships are stable but can be shallow.
- +1
Paul Haenle, Maha Yahya, Benjamin Ho, …
- The U.S.-Philippines Alliance Should Be About More Than ChinaCommentary
Blinken’s Beijing visit will be seen through a security lens, but Washington should separate its alliance from Manila from its calculations around China.
Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby
- Renewed Clashes on the China-India BorderCommentary
Can China and India disengage from contested territories along the border?
- +1
Paul Haenle, Ashley J. Tellis, Han Hua, …
