BB assassination case: Court defers decision on unfreezing Musharraf’s account
A trial court hearing the assassination case of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto reserved judgment on Saturday on an application seeking the unfreezing of one of Pervez Musharraf’s bank accounts. The former president’s bank account was seized after he was declared a proclaimed offender.
Anti-Terrorism Court Special Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman reserved the decision till July 25 on the application filed by the Habib Bank Limited (HBL) management.
The court will also decide on an application filed by a juvenile accused in the same case about the separation of his trial from the other arrested accused during the next hearing.
In its application, the bank argued that the account in question is a trust account rather than a personal one. The account is not solely controlled by Musharraf as it is for a welfare trust registered in the UK and is jointly operated by another man, Arif Amin. The account holds Rs60 million.
Federal Investigation Agency Special Public Prosecutor Chuadhry Zulfiqar Ali argued that the bank did not have any legal standing to ask for the unfreezing of the account.
“Under the law, no one can seek relief on behalf of a proclaimed offender (PO). [The PO] either has to surrender before the law or get bail from the concerned court before seeking any relief,” the prosecutor argued.
Zulfiqar argued that the trust is not registered in Pakistan and thus the account cannot be declared a welfare account. In addition, no traction showing any relief activity or welfare purpose had been shown by the bank to prove that the account is personal.
Separately, the court also reserved its decision on the application of Aitzaz Shah, a juvenile accused in the case who is seeking trial by regular court instead of the ATC.
Representing the accused, Advocate Naseer Tanoli Shah argued that Aitzaz was under 18 when he was arrested from Dera Ismail Khan in January 2008. “A juvenile cannot be tried under terror laws and alongside adults,” the lawyer argued.
FIA Prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar, however, argued that President Asif Ali Zardari issued an ordinance in April this year declaring that a juvenile could be tried by an ATC.
He added that it was the exclusive jurisdiction of anti-terrorism courts to try all accused under terror laws and no exemption should be given to Shah, who was closely involved in the conspiracy to kill Bhutto. The decision on Aitzaz Shah’s plea will also be announced on July 25.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2012.
COMMENTS (20)
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@M Ahmad:
agreed 100%.
Mush is still there and will remain there till the war against terrorists is on, though not physically . Some one else will defreeze his account if required .
He is the best Leader I have seen in my life time. If some one has any doubt , please ask your favourit to go with him in open debate on any issue, on any forum. I beleive no one has the courage to face him from the current so called political, democratic leaders
@naeem khan Manhattan,Ks:
HAHAHA...he was never elected? what cave do you live in? the man won the elections in 2008 with 60% of the vote in his favor. plus, he won the referendum overwhelmingly in 2001/02. to argue he didnt have the support of the majority of pakistanis, perhaps only till 2007, is a fallacy.
Sure nro was the brainchild of the USA,at the time Pakistan civilian opposition lobbying for it,@naeem khan Manhattan,Ks: Don't blame Musharraf for this government,the people of Pakistan elected the crooked Politicians,people actually believed the looters saying life would be a lot better if you vote us Into power.Musharraf did so much for the country,more than all the civilian governments put together,all you care about is the constitution,it is on paper only,military rule is much Better than civilian rule for the common man.
want to see him back in power and lead the country.
It is just amazing how many of his supporters are here to back every thing he did during his illegal regime. The fact is that he was never elected and what he did to the Pakistan's judiciary is unforgivable, he would go to any length to perpetuate his rule. He has allowed the Americans to have free hand in Pakistan and above all got the country involved in some body else war which Pakistanis has been paying dearly. He is the one who brought these corrupt and incompetent in the forefront by inventing NRO which was the brainchild of Washington DC anyway. He has done damage just like Zia did and there should be no room for him in the future governments. HE SHOULD COME BACK AND FACE THE LAW AND IF FOUND INNOCENT OF ALL CHARGES THEN WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT GIVING HIM A CHANCE WHAT EVER HE WANTS TO DO IN PAKISTAN. BUT HE MUST COME BACK AND NOT HIDE LIKE SOME COWARD.
BB assassination case will never be solved.
@Muhammad: Stop wondering.. he's a world class leader and gets paid millions of dollars for his lectures.
Musharaf was the man all world respect him he did allot of the country during a hard time...now these so called democratically elected thieves have nothing just looting and plundering and took the country back to the stone age.
So they have to make a cry to fool this nation about their deeds
60 million is a drop in the ocean compared to what he has acquired. need to go for the big fish tanks around the world>
He is the only true man who can lead Pakistan. These political mafias who have fake degrees and illegal wealth in their possession in the country and outside. Long live the great visionary leader Insha Allah God will help you in getting out of the mundane.
Musharaf is the wild card in pakistani politics He will be back and lead the country forwords with the help of army and courts minus mr chadhry There is an honest man waiting to serve
I wonder where did mush get this 60 million from? What was his source of income?
Musharraf is the best leader Pakistan ever had.
Musharraf is innocent-
As per his commitment to India he never sent terrorist across the border but India always accused him wrongly.
2.He never committed murders of BB or Bugti but wrongly accused of the same.
He never accumulated money in Pak and foreign banks through illegitimate means which should be released immediately to him.
He never renovated Abbotabad mansion or gave shelter to OBL.
"“Under the law, no one can seek relief on behalf of a proclaimed offender (PO)."
The Public Prosecutor Chuadhry Zulfiqar Ali (PP) should give the reference of the law that he wants to apply to treat a Proclaimed Offender (PO) as a Condemced Offender (CO).
As long as an Accused Offender (AC) is not judged and Condemned, he stays AC, no matter what kind of PO he may be.
"Donot forget Mush is not a politician" who will be tried in media for such activities. If any politician was involved in this kind of accounts, We were supposed to see the chats/news on every channel. Long live Mush aides, Long live Pak