Musharraf's return: Sindh High Court grants pre-arrest bail
Sindh High Court accepts a 10 day bail period for the former president.
A file photo of former preisdent of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court has accepted former president Pervez Musharraf’s application for pre-arrest bail on Friday, reported Express News.
Responding to an application filed on Thursday, the Sindh High Court granted a 10 day bail period for the former president. Technically, the Supreme Court could intervene to reverse the order.
The application for pre-arrest bail was in relation to the Provisional Constitutional Order Judges case which dates back to a move made by the former president in 2007. At the time, Musharraf declared a Provisional Constitutional Order, which declared a state of emergency and suspends the Constitution. All judges were asked to take oath under the PCO, failing which, they were placed under house arrest.
Later in the day, the high court also granted former president a pre-arrest bail for the Akbar Bugti and Benazir Bhutto murder case.
To preclude the prospect of his arrest on arrival, his daughter, Ayla Raza, petitioned a court in Karachi on his behalf for protective bail in the three cases.
"He has been given pre-arrival, protective bail in all three cases," Musharraf's lawyer Ahmad Raza Kasuri told AFP.
Judge Sajjad Ali Shah posted bail at 300,000 rupees ($3,000) over the 2007 sacking of judges, the 2006 death of Akbar Bugti, a Baluch rebel leader in the southwest, and the murder of Bhutto in a gun and suicide attack.
“I am happy to learn the SHC has granted me relief by authorizing pre-arrest bail in all the politically motivated cases filed against me,” Musharraf’s responded on social media shortly after the decision was announced.
The former president who plans to end his self-exile with a return to Pakistan was involved in a number of cases in the courts relating to the assassination of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto, the death of baloch tribal head Nawab Akbar Bugti and the incident of the Lal Masjid.
"He has full protection now and he cannot be arrested in these cases upon his arrival in Pakistan," Salman Safdar, another Musharraf lawyer, told AFP.
At the Sindh High Court, a handful of activists from Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party flashed victory signs and chanted "Long Live Musharraf" and "Musharraf will come back, he will bring prosperity".
The outgoing government (PPP) always insisted that Musharraf would be arrested should he return to the country and last year he delayed a planned homecoming after being threatened with detention.
Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto, who is co-chairman of the PPP with his father, President Asif Ali Zardari, has accused Musharraf of murdering his mother.
She was killed after an election rally in Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the army, on December 27, 2007.
In 2010, a UN report said the murder could have been prevented and accused Musharraf's government of failing to provide Bhutto with adequate protection.
Musharraf is set to arrive in Karachi on March 24, to contest the upcoming general elections under the banner of his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).
The Sindh High Court has accepted former president Pervez Musharraf’s application for pre-arrest bail on Friday, reported Express News.
Responding to an application filed on Thursday, the Sindh High Court granted a 10 day bail period for the former president. Technically, the Supreme Court could intervene to reverse the order.
The application for pre-arrest bail was in relation to the Provisional Constitutional Order Judges case which dates back to a move made by the former president in 2007. At the time, Musharraf declared a Provisional Constitutional Order, which declared a state of emergency and suspends the Constitution. All judges were asked to take oath under the PCO, failing which, they were placed under house arrest.
Later in the day, the high court also granted former president a pre-arrest bail for the Akbar Bugti and Benazir Bhutto murder case.
To preclude the prospect of his arrest on arrival, his daughter, Ayla Raza, petitioned a court in Karachi on his behalf for protective bail in the three cases.
"He has been given pre-arrival, protective bail in all three cases," Musharraf's lawyer Ahmad Raza Kasuri told AFP.
Judge Sajjad Ali Shah posted bail at 300,000 rupees ($3,000) over the 2007 sacking of judges, the 2006 death of Akbar Bugti, a Baluch rebel leader in the southwest, and the murder of Bhutto in a gun and suicide attack.
“I am happy to learn the SHC has granted me relief by authorizing pre-arrest bail in all the politically motivated cases filed against me,” Musharraf’s responded on social media shortly after the decision was announced.
The former president who plans to end his self-exile with a return to Pakistan was involved in a number of cases in the courts relating to the assassination of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto, the death of baloch tribal head Nawab Akbar Bugti and the incident of the Lal Masjid.
"He has full protection now and he cannot be arrested in these cases upon his arrival in Pakistan," Salman Safdar, another Musharraf lawyer, told AFP.
At the Sindh High Court, a handful of activists from Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party flashed victory signs and chanted "Long Live Musharraf" and "Musharraf will come back, he will bring prosperity".
The outgoing government (PPP) always insisted that Musharraf would be arrested should he return to the country and last year he delayed a planned homecoming after being threatened with detention.
Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto, who is co-chairman of the PPP with his father, President Asif Ali Zardari, has accused Musharraf of murdering his mother.
She was killed after an election rally in Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the army, on December 27, 2007.
In 2010, a UN report said the murder could have been prevented and accused Musharraf's government of failing to provide Bhutto with adequate protection.
Musharraf is set to arrive in Karachi on March 24, to contest the upcoming general elections under the banner of his party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).