Treason trial: Islamabad police serves warrant to Musharraf

Special court constituted to try the former president for high treason had issued the warrant.

RAWALPINDI:

Acting upon the special court’s orders on Monday, Islamabad police served a bailable arrest warrant to former president Pervez Musharraf at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology(AFIC), where he is hospitalised.

A special court constituted to try the former president for high treason under Article 6 of the Constitution issued the warrant on Friday.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Inspector General Police in Islamabad Sikandar Hayat said, “In compliance with the court order, we have served a bailable arrest warrant to the former president.” In order to avoid arrest in the high treason case, the former president submitted surety bonds to the police.

A team, headed by SP Rural, visited AFIC to serve Musharraf the warrant. “We received the arrest warrants under protest … and submitted surety bonds worth Rs2.5 million on the spot to the police officer,” said Chaudhry Faisal, a member of Musharraf’s legal team.

Under section 76 of the CPC, surety bonds can be submitted to a police officer rather than the court, he said. Sources said Musharraf was given two options - to face arrest or submit surety bonds. “The court’s order has been implemented and a compliance report will be submitted before the court tomorrow,” SP Rural Captain (retired) Muhammad Ilyas told The Express Tribune.

A month ago, Musharraf was rushed to the AFIC after he complained of chest pain en route to the special court. He has not appeared before the three-member special court since its proceedings on cases against him commenced. Before serving the warrant, the Islamabad police reported the matter to the RA Bazaar police station.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2014.