Musharraf treason case to be heard every day from 24th

Court adjourns hearing because ex-military ruler’s counsel is sick

PESHAWAR: A special court in Islamabad on Tuesday decided to hear a high treason case against former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf on a daily basis from October 24.

The three-judge bench of the special court, led by Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth, accepted a plea to postpone the hearing on the grounds that Musharraf’s lawyer was sick.

The petition requesting adjournment stated that Musharraf’s counsel, Raza Bashir, was suffering from dengue and was currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The court directed the parties concerned to submit their written documents prior to the next hearing.

After Justice Tahira Safdar’s retirement, the federal government had appointed Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth as the bench’s new head.

In August this year, the special court had nominated Advocate Raza Bashir as the defence counsel in the case.

The Ministry of Law and Justice had recommended 14 advocates to defend the former army chief, in line with Section 9 of the Criminal Law Special Court Act 1976.

The nomination was necessary as Musharraf’s own counsel could not appear in his absentia.

Musharraf currently resides in Dubai and has been unable to attend hearings in Pakistan as he is reportedly receiving medical treatment for a “rare disease”.

In June, the special court decided that court proceedings could no longer be halted due to the accused’s illness.

“In the view of the described state of facts and in compliance of the decision given by Supreme Court for further proceedings of the trial a counsel is to be appointed to defend the accused as required by the Section 9 of the Act 1976,” it ordered. “The Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of Pakistan, is directed to submit a panel of advocate for the purpose along with the package of fee to be paid to the advocate, so appointed to enable this court to further proceed with the case, as required.”

The decision came after the defence counsel said the former military ruler was physically and mentally unfit to return to the country.

In March, the Supreme Court gave three options to Musharraf to record his statement in a high treason case lodged against him in 2014 for subverting the Constitution on November 3, 2007: either to appear before the special court on the next hearing; to get his statement recorded via a video link or to allow his counsel Salman Safdar to answer on his behalf.

Musharraf’s counsel rejected all the options and said the defendant was too ill to answer questions via video link or in person.