Former president Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: AFP
Musharraf was supposed to be brought before the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday, but due to some engagements ATC Judge was not available. Therefore, he was taken to the Police Headquarters. According to sources, judges went to a judicial conference.
Higher police officials decided that Police Headquarters will be more secure for Musharraf, who had received death threats from Taliban earlier.
Musharraf was to stay at Police Headquarters Mess until Saturday, from where he would be taken to the ATC hearing.
Earlier on Friday, an Islamabad magistrate's court had granted two-day transit remand of former president in judges' house arrest case.
The former president - who fled the court yesterday after arrest order was issued against him - appeared before the court today.
Musharraf’s farmhouse in Chak Shahzad was also declared sub-jail.
All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) spokesman Muhammad Amjad said the magistrate had ordered Musharraf to appear before an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi after two days.
"Musharraf himself surrendered before the court Friday morning," Amjad added, denying media reports that he had been arrested prior to going to court.
His team said they would seek bail in the Supreme Court later Friday.
Court holds IG Islamabad responsible for Musharraf’s escape
The Islamabad High Court issued its written verdict in the judges house arrest case, holding Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad police responsible for letting Musharraf escape the court premises.
The court ordered the secretary interior to take action against the IG and present a report in this regard.
On the run
Earlier on April 18, Islamabad High Court judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui cancelled the bail application of Musharraf in the judges’ detention case and ordered his arrest, prompting the former president to immediately walk out of the packed courtroom. No one tried to stop him.
Had the order been implemented, it would have been the first time in Pakistan’s history that a former chief of army staff and former president would have been arrested on court premises.
The former military strongman, guarded by his small army of bodyguards, exited the courtroom, was ushered into his bulletproof SUV and was driven to his posh Chak Shahzad farmhouse, while Islamabad police present at the IHC premises stood by and watched him leave.
Moments earlier, the charge of terrorism was levelled against him.
COMMENTS (57)
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@Mike Mohammad: You say "This country cannot be ruled by the politicians. Politicians only come to loot and plunder." and then you also say "The army General have to come to save the country." Sir please point out one country in the world that has prospered under Army or Dictator's rule. What mindset has come in Pakistan? Sir, Army Generals or Soldiers are neither trained nor equipped in any manner to rule a country. They are short sighted, trained and conditioned to achieve short term goals by force and also under civil guidance. Those whose mindset is from the medieval ages when politician and general was blended in one as KING should realize that it is 2013 an era of rule by the people and not by Kings or Generals. Incidently those Kings used to be great politicians trained by wise men in art of state. Today's generals are not trained in the art of statesmanship.Wake up and see, worst democracy is better then rule by dictators.
Where is gone your words, "I am not afraid from anybody". Why you run from Court Mr, Mushi? According to USA, you have done very well all task and now you are not valid. So face its like a other citizen of Pakistan.
The fate of Yahya Khan awaits Musharraf.
Selective justice.
Since 1979 Pakistan has been treating its heads of the government very badly from hanging to imprisonment. What happened to Musharraf was predictable. He was foolish to come back and put himself into this situation. Somehow he put lot of credence into the assurances given by Americans and Saudis for his immunity to no avail. He is not going to get justice in Pakistan.The country is bereft of justice.
USA should not repeat what it did to Shah of Iran. Navy Seal team should be sent to rescue Musharraf. He could provide valuable information to US.
@Mercy Zee: You say he was ex-president, my question to you and all others who consider him president is did he ever get elected by the people, by the way he was still wearing Army Uniform and was ruling the country with the barell of the gun.
A GREAT MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF PAKISTAN, PERIOD.
I wish someone from Karachi's politcial circle could come forward to speak in his favour publicly. above threads clearly indicates how much people like him he made some mistakes I agree but doesn't deserve to be treated in this way.
@Areebah Shahid: In few months time you will talking about Musharraf cases as you are talking about Mumtaz Qadri Arsalan Iftikhar and Memogate. Our judiciary is going on public demand and taking up cases to satisfy public sentiments and to create a larger than life image. Common men dies before he gets justice in our country, there is unimaginable corruption in lower courts. Despite of doing something for masses our top judiciary it is wasting time in personal vendettas and cherry picking individual cases and even in those cases is not been able to implement its orders. What we are seeing today in Pakistan is Judicial Activism. As in the media, where we see talk show anchors doing various acts to surge the ratings, sorry to say our judiciary is doing the same.
Another Hugo Chavez in the making
@Faisal: He is in deep trouble, my friend.
Mumtaz Qadri and Abdul Aziz still remain unpunishedd. No one knows what happened to Arsalan Iftikhar case or memogate. I don't understand this judicial hysteria to put Musharraf behind bars. If anything, it makes his supporters more inclined to stand by him!
@Hammad Mian: Sounds Like he was after you!
Further to earlier comments and having seen Musharraf's video speaking of all the good he did for the country, arguably correct, instead, he ought to have discussed what right he had to blow Bugti and his followers to bits in a cave; to have dismissed judges and held them under house arrest; to have in a phone conversation threatened Benazir Bhutto either she was with him or else to remember her security was in his hands; that the UN commission that investigated her assassination pointed fingers clearly at him; that he took massive amounts of aid from the USA at the same time training/arming the Taliban unofficially with the disastrous consequences for Pakistan internally, and establishing an international relationship of distrust, both will continue to haunt Pakistan in the long term; and then admitting himself having signed a secret agreement allowing drone attacks on Pakistan's sovereign land.. the list could go on and on. To think he still believes he is a saviour of Pakistan - only madness or megalomania can explain such high handed ways. He ought to suffer the jail conditions he imposed on Nawaz Sharif and too Asif Zardari, who spent 8 years under miserable conditions without a trial. No words can describe such unethical ways. It s good to see justice finally is catching up.....
@Mr.President: you are wrong Mr. President. He deserves much more as he arrested a legally elected PM of a country, dismissed a Government just to avoid the consequences of Kargil war that brought death to hundreds of innocents and humiliation to his country. God he deserves much more and should be made an example so no one dares to repeat what he did.
@Adnan:
This country cannot be ruled by the politicians. Politicians only come to loot and plunder. USA is in bad economic conditions and cannot give aid for too long. I doubted he will give any aid after their forces leave Afghanistan. Did you see any political face who will get Pakistan out of this mess we are getting deeper and deeper. The army General have to come to save the country. The next one will be very brutal and clean up all the political mess and politicians and everybody who created trouble now.
Guys please show respect to Mr. Pervez forget he was an Ex-President he was also an Ex-General of Army & Cheif of Army Staff. . He should not be treated like this at all. It have hurt me a lot when shoe incident accord. Give him respect. . Please Note he is Commando too. May Allah make our country and have a leader like Hazrat Umar-e-Farooq R.A.
wonder when pakistani courts will be independent enough to take action against those in power. For example, we are still waiting to hear any news about the fate of Arsalan iftikhar's graft case.
Put him behind the bars asap. I can not wait any more!
Let him go. He never meant ill for Pakistan, as have many of our contemprory rulers.The present rulers need to be tried and hung for what has happened to Pakistan in the name of Democracy. A democracy totally corrupt and led by incompetent people.
Sad day, really. It shows Pakistani mind set and the way they want to live their lives. They are humiliating a person who can bring prosperity to their children and Pakistan overall. But don't think that the situation can can't be changed.
@Shah (Berlin) Ji : . @ p r sharma had stated "former army general and Chief of Army Staff." . You stated : a lot of other generals have been arrested. . Has there been any arrest of former army general who is also Chief of Army Staff? . Cheers
@Logic europe: "The law and constitution is what honuorable chief justice says? There is no refuge for people,who dont belong to Pmln. Musharaf ran the country with full aaproval of these very courts who’re now hounding him Come on Army!!!! , take over get rid of trouble makers and save pakistan."
Amen.
This is so so wrong ! zardari and nawaz are no lesser evils . Mushraff was way better than those two . It is a shameful day in political history of Pakistan
Mr. Musharraf is going through a cleansing process, as we have seen in the past, we will see the upbeat about his cases for few days and from next week, the media and public will be more focusing on election campaign and Mr. Musharraf will be forgotten for while. I see a major role to be played by General after election, once his cases have also died down (anyone expecting that Musharraf will be convicted lives in fool’s paradise).
heaqduarters....
@p r sharma:
not true..alot of other generals have been arrested....High ranking people dont make the headline because of security purposes.....
What goes round, comes around
What I would like to see is no immunity from prosecution for anybody, no matter what their past position. This applies to Musharraf as well as you guessed it, Mr. A. Zardari. Also former PM's should not be immune.
Jail is the most secured place for Musharraf keeping in view of death threats issued by the TTP and he should remain there till all cases are concluded against him.
Agree "I am not a fan of Musharraf, and I do believe he made some grave mistakes. But he does not deserve to be treated like this and humiliated."
The law and constitution is what honuorable chief justice says? There is no refuge for people,who dont belong to Pmln. Musharaf ran the country with full aaproval of these very courts who're now hounding him Come on Army!!!! , take over get rid of trouble makers and save pakistan.
I am not a big fan of Musharraf, but he DOES NOT deserve to be treated like this! I mean why is the same action being taken against all those corrupt leaders that are still out there with far worse offenses than his. RAJA RENTAL WAS ALLOWED TO CONTEST after he appealed. I would vote for musharraf rather than rental>
Why? What happened to Adiala Jail? The day that happens will a real revolution.. ALL MEN ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME MEN ARE MORE EQUAL.
Does the constitution not bar legal proceedings under immunity clause to ex Prez?
Does any MPA/MNA knows how many pages of Constitution ?
@Gulbano What wrong with you people ? Constitution ? Paid high price for military !? Think again people ! Dont you see the price we always paid for a democracy !! Democracy is never for illiterate nations, who will just go and vote for someone who gives them food on the day of election. Make literacy 85% then democracy can work in Pakistan. Mushy make just a few mistake, but DO look at the brighter side ! Peace
{{{Mr. President>I am not a fan of Musharraf, and I do believe he made some grave mistakes. But he does not deserve to be treated like this and humiliated.}}}
This is called justice, not humiliation. Humiliation is when you break the law.
How come Prime Ministers of Pakistan get thrown in jails and those who wore uniforms get to live in Farm Houses that get declared as sub-jail. I am sure there must be some very valid reasons and logic; just like to know what it is
However I do not agree 100% with yesterday’s events, however it will mitigate once popular phrase ‘ If you want to be President of Pakistan, Join the Army’.
Our nation bashes politicians for everything, and when it comes to someone who destroyed constitution, gave territories to US and worked against political institutions, some of us are feeling sympathy. I wish Mush be charged for treason and an example be made. We have a chance to make history.
First of all Mushraf must accept ground realities . He must changes his adverser . Make up his mind to face worst condition . I am sure he will in custody for at least 2 to 3 years and . media will shine his name every day .If luck in his fever and he will not get any sentence from court then he will get sympathy of common and his popularity graph will raise . But first of all he will face vary hard circumstance . Other wise he have only option he will arrange an aeroplan with help of his so called national and international friends and escape in darkness of night .
The only leader who improved Pakistan punished like this. It is a sad day in Pakistani history. People of Pakistan deserve everything that zardari and nawaz do to them.
@Mr.President So what ? Nobody should be above the law. Its law of democracy that your position and power cannot subdue your sin.
For Musharraf's lawyer to declare he was sipping coffee and puffing a cigar shows what little respect he has for the law, continues to believe his born right to be above it, and unlike his words of the previous night that if orders for his arrest were issued, he would go to jail, instead with a contingent of bodyguards not seen often, he rushed out with his tail between his legs. Shame shame shame on the coward. Meanwhile, politicians are being gunned down due to lack of security. He should certainly not be at his farm house even if for two days, but in jail. This precedent is not a good omen for Pakistan's justice system and neither does it hold the police force in good light.
Finally someone will think twice before rising above "Constitution" to retain his own authority. Even though there must have been some good side to Musharaf like all human beings, Constitution stays supreme. We have paid too high a price of Military rules one being not matured to elect a non corrupt/ biradri free civil government.
Lolzz and you think police can enter the cammondos house and take a ramand.....the same police who didnt have the guts to stop him in the court room.....please
I am not a fan of Musharraf, and I do believe he made some grave mistakes. But he does not deserve to be treated like this and humiliated.
Even though I dislike Musharraf, I really hope the lawyers dont mess this up with their emotions..
The beginning of the end of Mush. He needs to be put away but in a small cell. How many of his supporters are out in the streets for him?
History created in Pakistan with the arrest of former army general and Chief of Army Staff.
Another Leader in Making....