Former president Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf is not willing to get an angiography from Pakistan and wishes to go abroad for treatment, Express News reported Friday.
Musharraf's medical report, which was submitted to the special court in Islamabad today (Friday), stated that the former president should get an angiography as soon as possible.
The report, which Express News has obtained, stated that Musharraf is not willing to get an angiography in Pakistan as the cardiac support system in the country is not up to standard.
It further stated that Musharraf's health is such that a heart attack could be "life-threatening".
The government's prosecutor objected to the findings of the medical report, which was submitted by a four-member medical board headed Maj General Syed Muhammad Imran Majeed.
The court had ordered that a copy of the report be given to Musharraf's lead counsel Sharifuddin Pirzada and member of the prosecution team Nasiruddin Nayar earlier today.
His lawyer Anwar Mansoor had requested the court that the former president's report be kept secret.
Sheikh had disagreed, stating that Musharraf is a public figure and his report should be made public. He said that the court should not submit any decision that is against the constitution, adding that the prosecution knows that Musharraf is in good health.
Musharraf's advocate Ahmed Raza Kasuri also accused the government's prosecutor of hosting an event for the media in order to turn them against him.
The former president's counsel said that Musharraf's other medical report had already been made public and was still available on the website of a private news channel, asking the court to order that it be taken down.
The treason hearing has been adjourned and will reconvene on January 29.
Musharraf was accused of treason under Article 6 for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts. Even as the hearing for the treason trial stretches into its second month, the former military ruler is no closer to an appearance before the special court.
The 70-year-old had fallen ill and was taken to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi on January 2 as he was being transported under heavy guard to the court and is continuing his treatment there.
COMMENTS (61)
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@Ashah: Dear Ashal, I am a layman and therefore not qualified to make medical judgements. However, from experience I have found that cardiologists have several tests such as Echo, Perfusion(nuclear), and Angiogram, which become progressively more intrusive, but provide more information. If I have assessed it correctly an Angiogram gives a better indication of the condition of arteries connected to the heart, which allows the cardiologist to make better decisions in regard to patient treatment. Cardiologists do not request the above tests lightly, but they are considered necessary if the patient is to be treated correctly. One and a half million Americans have an Angiogram annualy. I do not think we should be critical of Dr Khan.
@Sexton Blake:
I am not sure if Et will print my reply which I posted yesterday evening? In any case I fully agree with you; the General is not arrogant but a fool who is not a representatve model of a soldier. He has underestimated the enduring will of his opponents within and outside the army and lost touch with the reality.
Rex Minor
@Dr.M.m.Khan: What sort of a Cardiologist are you ? the Gold Standard for heart test is the "Myocardial perfusion Scintigraphy" it is less invasive than an angio and pretty safe for a 70 year old. General Commando . I iam pretty sure the Pak . military hospital worth it salt would have that as a routine test !
Sorry to say that nothing will happen to Musharaf because an institution which has ruined the country economically and politically is behind him. Pakistan was gifted to the elite khakis who did massive corruption which no one knows as it laundered into big corporations and elitist lifestyle of the top brass.It will be a historic moment when his trial gets completed and a sentence is given & yeah...people of Pakistan are equally responsible for this whole mess.
@Sexton Blake: I agree Sir!You must forgive me if I speculate too much in my narrative about the country and its people that I do not know much of.The General in my observation is not arrogant but a fool who has not come to terms with the loss of status and the power which he once had. He lacks the sense of judgement and the gut feelings and very much underestimated the opponents even collegues from the army. Pakistan is a developing country of not one but several Nations which is very much reflected in different languages they speak and the cultures they practice. We have witnessed its divorce from the second half and watching live on cable network the civil disturbances in other parts; its institutions have remained weak because of several military intervention takeovers and lack of structural reforms of the colonial system. There is a lots of denial among the political leadership as well as the intellectuals of the land.
Rex Minor .
@Parvez:
"What happened to ‘ PAKISTAN FIRST ‘ ???………what a disgrace."
Good question! Apparently, "Pakistan First" principle is for the common Pakistanis. For the privileged like Mush, it is "Me First" and everything else later; for, to them, they are the very personification of Pakistan and so they always come before the country.
So, what is good enough for 200 million Pakistanis he ruled over is not good enough for him? This coward is feigning health problems to get out of the country and escape justice. There is absolutely nothing wrong with his heart or any other organ of his body.
He can go to India where many Pakistani's are getting treated at a fraction of the cost that he would have to pay in US
This whole sham process of a trail is about the punjabi ruling elite trying to get revenge against musharraf an urdu speaker. I bet if he was a good old punjabi boy this would not happen. As a physician in the united states, I believe it is his right to seek medical treatment abroad with the supervision of his family physician in Texas if he so desires. This cavalier attitude by the general public towards another individual's right to medical treatment is why I am glad I do live in pakistan.
@zohaib ".... he is the only army general who has crossed the bordar of enemies with his soldiers and spent a full night with them in war situation..."
You are being unfair to the bravery of other generals who have also spent months not just a 'full' night in heartland, not just on the borders of the enemy territory. e.g. 90,000+ army man including many a generals and brigadiers who spent months in indian inside the indian borders after the war situation in '71.
The political elites and on the helm do not keep the medical equipments up-to-the-standard for such rainy days.
@SUB:
PAKISTAN FIRST - when we are comparing Pakistan against foreign land then it comes to Pakistan First. When it comes to education, health etc then your education and health comes first.
The more people get to know more about Mush and his associates Gen Niazi starts looking better and better. Mush has left Niazi far behind in the "race" for bravery in our history.
@Rex Minor: "Trying every legal trick" Dear Rex, I thing that almost everybody agrees with you. If any other person in the word tried this legalistic chicanery they would be behind bars, and therefore wishing the trial to go ahead. As long as the Pakistan authorities allow the General's legal team to keep playing their ridiculous tricks they will keep playing them. As it is I am sure that there must be much embarrassment within the Pakistan legal system that this ridiculous situation has been allowed to get out of control to such a high degree. It is quite obvious that the General is very arrogant and is showing his disdain towards the current Pakistan Government.
@Farooq:
Just think for a moment, if all heart patients sitting in Pakistan prisons would ask for being treated in foreign hospitals? He was fooled by his legal advisers and was given publicly assurances that the court will free him of all the criminial charges against him. They never expected the charge of 'treason' which has even flattened his regular defense team which is trying hard now using every legal trick to get him out of the country.
Rex Minor
Life and death is in God's hands even in best hospitals people die in the supervision of best medical staff.Angiography is a normal process and can be done anywhere in Pakistan without any problem.Sab se pehle Pakistan.Main arta varta nahi hoon but from trial.
Super Duper Commando wants to run, just like from Kargil, left his own troops behind to die.
@Dr.M.m.Khan:
You have given us your opinion on angiography procedure but not why it cannot be carried out in Pakistan military hospital. You have also given us your narrative about circumstances which compelled him to become the military ruler of the country. The only missing bit being his not showing up in the court? Please do not try to present the soldier accused of Treason, as a victim. The Kasuri and Pirzada team are doinng their best but no mortal can save this man from his fate..
Rex Minor
@Sexton Blake: I am very pleased to read that you are successfully treated - I noted with interest that your able daughter SELECTED the cardiologist for you. This is exactly what Musharraf is asking for! I am reliably informed that "angios" are widely performed in pakistan with excellent results. I agree also that Musharraf's case has political tones but who is responsible for it?.
I recently underwent angiography treatment, and my daughter who is well versed in medical procedures selected the cardiologist, who carried out the treatment, very carefully. As Dr Khan pointed out angiography procedures, although of short duration, are no stroll in the park. However, I find it incredible to believe that Pakistan does not have a cardiologist with the necessarily expertise to carry out the procedure safely. If Pakistan does not it is a wake-up call for the Government to bring the Pakistan medical world up to world standards. However, in reality I think the General and his legal ream are merely stalling.
I am surprised that people who are pointing fingers towards Musharraf don't have slightest realization that how much injustice is prevailing. Are rest of the people like Zardari, NS, former CJ, former army chief, etc. are they all innocents? If Musharraf wants to go abroad is it something illegal that he asks for? Although I am sure he is not asking. Its just a biased headline of ET. Its nowhere in the article.
A commando would have been expected to show a little more courage.
@ Mirza We the common citizens in the Politically Shattered Islamic Republic of Pakistan have a traditional tendency to forget our past. I fully agree with what @ Dr.M.m.Khan has quoted. You have forgotten about our so called patriotic politicians but more more precisedly can be termed as the "Most Corrupt Personalities" and who qualify for their names to be endorsed in the guinies book.
If you reveal the history, these corrupt leaders when get elected go for their un-wanted treatment abroad and that too on the government expense ( which ofcourse is the public hard earned money extracted out of them by way of taxes and most of these are un-lawful).
If Musharraf has wished for the treatment abroad it does not means that the expenses would be borne by the AFIC as after retirement no one is entitled to go for treatment abroad and Musharraf will pay all the expense out of his hard earned wages serving the nation.
It was heard today during the press conversation by one of the minister of the ruling party addressing Musharraf as " MULZIM " which appears un-ethical on his part and the Government.
Read the report it says clearly He i.e. Musharraf though feels adequate coronary treatment facilities are available but as doctors views are mentioned there is a paucity of advanced cardiac support system like left ventricular assistance if asked for God forbid a patient has a heart attack during angiography so retrieval treatment with the relevant paucity is an obstruction to his full recovery, it's General Musharrafs right to seek treatment abroad. He hasnt denied to be entertained here but has been advised by doctors as given in report
@Mirza:
Dear Mirza, I agree and disagree with you. I don't know your profession but i am a cardiologist. i agree with you that angiography is the gold standard but a normal angiography does not rule out coronary artery disease- Angiography is a invasive procedure .with inherent risks attached to it and thus a patient's written request is required. You imply that Musharraf is perfectly healthy but you seem not to have read his medical report which contradicts your conclusion! May i remind you Angina is a symptom and not a finding. Musharraf is being treated as a coronary artery disease patient. It appears we have two types of Musharraf in Pakistan.1) A former COAS and a President who had no ambition to be in power but survived a killing attempt along with over a hundred passengers.Pakistan was made to look like a banana republic. Is there any precedence in other countries.?. Could his sacking not wait a few hours and we would have been spared this circus.He was not equipped to be the president that is why he named himself as the chief executive . Later on he was invited to visit india but since there was no protocol , for a chief executive he got himself elected as the President- His reign can be discussed but for the first time he unshackled the media so that he could be criticized but when it got under his skin he tried without success to muzzle it. He left the country on his own volition.During his absence he was not charged with treason. He returned to Pakistan to contest elections but was denied his human rights. A host of charges were labelled at him and when they did not stick came the treason charge with possible death penalty. Now 2) Musharraf the sick man.-- a seventy year old man requesting the right to treated according to his wishes. This too his human right. The judges cannot ignore both the medical report and his wish. It would amount to Merchant of venice. The world is watching with bated breath..
@Dhaka: Don't you have other thing to do then post on all the news
@yasin: fully agreed, and for bringing the bad repute to the army for his personal ends.
@yasin: On the contrary Sir, he is providing the Pakistan public the true picture of the kind of leadership in the army!
Rex Minor
@Waqar: brother with growing resentment in every circle whether the military over this trial is a farce and a sham, you're innocent until proven guilty sir in thr eyes of law. Trial hasnt even started while he isn't an offender if you understand law i.e. Analysis should be way above personal hate/ bias of someone and be based on rationality. Everything is lawful i think u havent read @rtt comments about lawfulness. He is a free man for sure but if you're being victimzed on sheer revengeful basis is something different. I guess where he found neutrality he personally went and got bails in highly discriminatory politically charged cases. So i wont express my resent towards someone sheer on basis of personal hate.
Musharraf is responsible for demoralizing and demotivating the entire army. He should be punished.
@faraz: Zardari went to Dubai for his treatment when he was President!!
@Mirza: everyone has right to attain best possible medical treatment for themselves. I and many others like me fully agree not willing to come to a court filled with injustice. Where you know judges concerned are aggrieved party with their tainted histories esp with one of them being relative of justice ramday, confidant of former cj. how can dispensation of justice take place. Everyone is saying sheer victimization is happening around. Musharraf used article 209 on 3rd nov while former cj used article 209 on 31 july 2009 to remove 100 or so judges for his personal interest. Musharraf used emergency power after advice from former PM under article 232. So everything lawful! Abeyance was lawful as while wasn't subversion on 3 nov 2007. It was added in 18th amendment in 2009/10. Geo Musharraf sahab you always did/ thought best for this country.
@Wepk: He is not free person, he is facing charges of high treason. Options are for free citizens and not for under trial prisoners. How many prisoners are sent abroad for treatment. Mush be a Man and face the charges and get yourself acquitted from court after all you are commando. Other option is to file mercy petition before President.
Dear General Musharaf Saab....Pakistanis and Pakistan do not deserve honest people like you. please go abroad and stay safe there. best wishes sir.
What a Brave Man.......!!!!
@dhaka You sure? http://hospitals.webometrics.info/en/Asia_Pacifico/South%20Asia
Please don't be a troll. Your country is one of the poorest in the world.....your country needs you do something productive.
It's simple you arent listening to defense legal objection and it's quid pro co. You don't listen to defense geniune legal objection then you wont get an opportunity for him to come under biased judges and this farced trial as esp one of the judge is close relative of lieutanants of former CJ (Mr Ramday), the other had biased decision making under his sleeve while hearing musharrafs petition for na250. This trial as widely acknowledged is purely a farce. Musharrafs only fault he wasn't a dictator. People who call him that havent looked up meaning in Webster Dictionary. I wish Musharraf sahab well!
Treatment in Pakistan can in no way compare to treatment in the West. I believe he should be allowed to travel abroad; and if I was in his place I would never return to this country ever again.
What happened to ' PAKISTAN FIRST ' ???.........what a disgrace.
It is quite shameful for these comments above me as lawfully in the end it's the perogative of the patient to attain best treatment which he desires. Mostly people have their family doctors, if it happens to be Mr Hashmi of Paris Texas who is his personal heart physician since 2006 plus he is fully aware on his medical history, it's his right to ask for it as Musharraf is a free man and has every right to attain best possible medical treatment. We have as citizens turned out to be disgusting as sadly we pass comments on someone who is I'll. while this trial is biased even validated by ms asma jehangir
i want to tell them clear who are staging drama of Musharraf's escape that Musharraf came back on his own knowing about all drama cases and other threats. he is a commando and faced several do and die situations in several battles he is the only army general who has crossed the bordar of enemies with his soldiers and spent a full night with them in war situation
His request for treat abroad should open eyes of the general public. He has been steering this country for more than a decade, and yet is considering good enough for his treatment. This is how our mighty rulers differentiate themselves from the general public. I believe, we public is equally responsible for the mess in which we are nowadays.
Medical facility ranking in south asia:- 1.India 2.Bangladesh 3.Srilanka 4.Pakistan 5.Afghanistan.He can't go to India obviously, then next option is only our's.
Musharaf may be tried for violating constitution but not treason if subverting constitution is treason then so does stealing and misappropriating billions of rupees from national exchequer , transferring , hoarding , stashing the national wealth overseas by so called democratic governments PPP and PMLN.
He should be punished for he was not able to establish a single hospital which meets his standard of health care...was he successful in giving quality healthcare to the normal person? And before that his Tax Audit should be done that from where he managed so much money that he has money to pay for his operations in some US hospital
Since the headline puts emphasis on Musharraf's wish to go abroad for treatment, one expects atleast a little explanation of it in the article. This instance is not first of its kind and ET must put some limit on such sensationalism.
It indicate,that Musharraf did not go to AFIC voluntarily and that he wants to get out from the hospital.
What a shame that a person who ruled this country for almost a decade with iron hand could not establish a single hospital which he could trust for his own treatment. I guess this is the same person who coined the term 'Pakistan First'.
Pakistan lacks advanced medical treatment facility even there big cities.He can opt to come here for medical treatment as it is much cheaper than US or Europe.Even your ex-president never trust your facility,such a pathetic situation..
I am not afraid of anyone! yet fear from treason trial and any other accountability is outside the scope of this statement.
Commando copped his way to the Presidency but shows no demonstrable faith in Armed Forces Cardiac facility. Is he showing Army Doctors being not up to par?? Then shift him to Services Hospital or PIC in Lahore where they have excellent facilities, where we all go.
Angiography is the only gold standard to test for heart diseases and blockages. This is the main test performed on every heart patient prior to surgery to make sure surgery on invasive procedure is required. Even though it is a routine procedure but why should a perfectly healthy person go through it? The strange fact is this army hospital is only for weeks and months of rest and recreation for generals while poor citizens who are actual patients have no place to go. Mush is good enough to fly to the US but not come to the court even for a few minutes!
The Court needed a report from the special medical board of AFIC. What could one expect, therefore, but some such advice that would recommend treatment abroad. Now, this will provide a legal basis for the Court to let him proceed abroad. But will it lead to the consummation of justice in this case?
Pakistan First I suppose
@Khan: Pl advise the same to Zardai Sb, Nawaz Shareef Sb.
So he does not trust armed forces hospitals? We should send every injured soldier abroad then.
Mush the Commando should know that if he had a real heart problem he would have left this earth for another abode. Best to get Military Cardiac Institute to administer treatment, otherwise shut this Cardiac Institute down and stop wasting taxpayers money.
The General does not trust the Army's super-speciality hospital, one of the best in Pakistan on a simple angiography test and wants the treatment to be done at abroad is quite strange. This demand raises serious doubts whether he is really suffering from any life threatening heart ailment but trying to leave the country without facing trial on filmsy medical grounds.
Rest assured Mr. Mush, high and mighty are never punished in this country. You will be set free soon, you are just being punished for defying everybody's advice not to come to Pakistan.
Don't worry dear, we have some very good hospitals here in Pakistan. Get well soon and get prepared for a historic trial!
Yes stop making excuses, do the tests and follow the rules of the country you are in, the same country for which you were president of and army chief.