People walk past the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology where former military ruler Pervez Musharraf is being treated in Rawalpindi on January 2, 2014. PHOTO: AFP
Security forces stationed at the National Library stood alert for almost an hour but all in vain. Pervez Musharraf’s convoy, expected to reach the special court, instead headed towards the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) in Rawalpindi after he fell ill on his way to the hearing.
It was all going as per plan, when the former president’s convoy took a U-turn from Islamabad Club and rushed towards the cardiology hospital in Rawalpindi.
According to a security official the convoy had left the former president’s farmhouse in Chak Shahzad and were headed towards the special court when the wireless buzzed, asking them to change their route and instead move towards AFIC.
Soon after Musharraf complained of his illness he was taken to the AFIC. Speaking to The Express Tribune, sources revealed that messages received by the officers strictly said that Musharraf was to be taken only to the AFIC and not to any other hospital.
The security squad, led by the IG and DIG Islamabad, changed its originally planned route and made its way from Rawal Chowk, near Chak Shahzad, to Rawalpindi via the Islamabad Expressway. It later went through the Airport Road and Mall Road to reach the hospital near Rawalpindi’s cantonment area.
The distance from Rawal Chowk to AFIC is around 12 kilometres and it usually takes at least 45 minutes to reach the hospital. However, with sirens blaring and the squad’s vehicles speeding, the motorcade managed to make it to the hospital in just 20 minutes.
In-charge of the security arrangements, Islamabad’s Deputy Inspector General Jan Muhammad told the court that the former president had fallen sick while being brought to the court for the proceedings from his Chak Shahzad farmhouse.
The court, hearing the treason case, is set up in the National Library some 10 kilometres away from the farmhouse.
Security arrangements
Security was tightened around Musharraf’s farmhouse, minutes before the former president was due to leave the place for the hearing.
Talking to the Daily Express, a security official revealed that security had been ramped up on all routes leading to the National Library. He added that all roads linked to the routes had been sealed by the security squad.
It was also stated that no visitor was allowed in the area.
Security officials from both the provincial and federal law enforcement agencies were deployed along the route. Around 2,000 security men were deployed on the road from Chak Shahzad to the special court.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 3rd, 2014.
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Establishment would kept itself at considerable distance,? impossible and let the ground situation becoming unleashed impossible. Time is runing out,before it will touch to the red alert it needs revisit and better solution regarding the trial. With the passage of time,it is being converted into a disputed matter and its esclating goes not in faver of peace and security.
Millitary court is a better than the criminal court because constitution provide yhe option. He is a military man and has been on peak in the army so army court is better place for trial. If democratically elected government wante to make this trial a precedent in the country's history even then military trial is better way and the solution of the problem.
In case,the treason case is submitted to the special court the high ups affiliated regarding the establishment of special court never escaped them from the allegation of unjustice and it would be black dot on the face of executive and prosecution.