Court refuses to hear 'absconding' Musharraf's lawyer

Interior ministry directed to submit a fresh report on Musharraf and his family's assets

ISLAMABAD:

A special court hearing a high treason case against former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf restrained his counsel on Friday from presenting his arguments, noting that it could not hear the lawyer of an absconder.

On March 18, 2016, the former president flew to Dubai for medical treatment shortly after his name was removed from the exit control list (ECL) on the Supreme Court's directives.

Akhtar Shah, the counsel for the ex-army chief, who is facing multiple charges including treason and involvement in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, had said his client needed urgent medical treatment which was unavailable in Pakistan.

A three-judge bench of the special court led by Justice Yahya Afridi refused to hear Shah's arguments, reminding him that the former president had been declared an absconder in the case.

The bench also rejected the interior ministry' s report on Musharraf and his family's assets as it was based on an assessment conducted in 2008.

The ministry was asked to submit a report based on the fresh status of the properties. Barrister Farogh Nasim and Chaudhry Faisal Hussain appeared in the court on behalf of the former president's wife, Begum Sehba Musharraf.



Shah also moved an application requesting the court to direct the authorities to provide foolproof security to his client so that he could appear before the court.

"As the applicant intends to appear in the honourable court therefore, [a] request is made that the orders earlier passed under Sections 87, 88 Cr.P.C may kindly be recalled," he wrote in the application.

"It is also submitted that till the final disposal of the instant application, no adverse action or proceedings are taken or initiated against the applicant," he added.

The court then asked the head of the prosecution team, Akram Sheikh, to file a reply over Musharraf's plea. The case was adjourned till May 19.



The former president had committed to return to Pakistan to face all cases after "six to eight weeks" following medical treatment. His name was put on the ECL after he returned to Pakistan in 2013, hoping to lead his party into the general elections.

Musharraf was the army chief when he seized power in a coup in 1999. He was the president till 2008 when a democratically elected government came into power and ousted him. He left the country to live in self-imposed exile in Dubai and London.

The charges relate to the former general's imposition of a state of emergency in November 2007 and the assassination of former PM Benazir Bhutto the same year. Musharraf, 72, denies all the charges and has termed them "politically motivated."

The application filed by Musharraf's lawyer seeking security for his client.