Musharraf’s advocates back out from judges’ detention case amidst threats

Hearing adjourned till May 8 after advocates inform of receiving threats from banned organisations.

ISLAMABAD: Former dictator Pervez Musharraf’s lawyers Rizwan Abbasi, Advocate Ziaur Rehman, and Umer Farooq refused to represent Musharraf in the unlawful detention of judges’ case due to threats, reported Express News on Monday.

The lawyers claimed to have received threats from banned terrorist organisations and decided to disassociate themselves from the case for security reasons.

The hearing was adjourned till May 8.

Other media reports suggested that the trial was adjourned due to the absence of Anti-Terrorist Court special judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi.

Background

An ATC had extended Musharraf’s judicial remand till May 18 in the judge’s detention case on Saturday. This came after a request from Musharraf’s lawyer who claimed police were too busy in election duties to provide security to his client.

Musharraf’s counsel informed the court that he had submitted an application to the Islamabad chief commissioner to start Musharraf’s trail at his farmhouse sub-jail due to security reasons. He said the chief commissioner had accepted his application on May 3. However, the court observed that this would be possible only after the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) approval.

The IHC later allowed Musharraf’s trial to be held at the sub-jail, also asking the chief commissioner to ensure the ATC judge’s and his staff’s security during the trial.