A 16-minute matter: ‘Mr Musharraf, take your seat’

ISLAMABAD:

On the day that transpired as General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s maiden appearance in the special court, media personnel deployed outside the special court anxiously looked on for any signs of the accused. As the waiting period drew into its first hour, gossip surrounding the possibilities of what could ensue was at its zenith.

Some said his convoy may be diverted to the Benazir Bhutto International Airport; others speculated that he would be transported to his luxurious farmhouse in Chak Shahzad rather than to court.

Inside the courtroom, the usually vacant witness box to the left of the bench had a lone chair for the accused. A security sweep was meticulously conducted. The bomb disposal squad made thorough inspections all around; special jammers were placed on the left and right side of the bench and the judges’ seats were also checked and cleared by the squad. Spectators waited with bated breath as news of retired general Pervez Musharraf’s arrival outside the courtroom was declared.

A dark blazer over a black kurta and white shalwar was Musharraf’s choice of clothing on his first court appearance in the treason case against him. Some spectators on the sidelines of the special court arena felt the traditional garb was a more charismatic and becoming outfit for the former general, who was flanked by dozens of uniformed security officials as he literally marched into the National Library and took his seat at 1:06pm.

“Sir, you are looking so good, MashaAllah,” said an overwhelmed defence lawyer, Ahmad Raza Kasuri as he hugged his client shortly before the court session resumed.

Contrary to his medical reports, Musharraf looked fresh and healthy. With no signs of edginess in his gait, his walk into the court from his Land Cruiser at the gate was confident and poised, with the carriage of a commando, not a heart patient.

As he reached his legal team, the defence lawyers broke into applause, clearly jubilant over his appearance. The legal team briefly chatted with their client, with some taking the liberty to make introductions.

“I’m Major Akhtar Shah, sir,” one excited lawyer in a black suit said to the former army chief.

Rana Ejaz, a member of Musharraf’s legal team, jokingly introduced a female lawyer as a “suicide bomber”, as an indication of her legal prowess. Khalid Ranjha and Anwar Mansoor consulted with Musharraf.

At 1:10, the court resumed its hearing. Musharraf stood in his seat, expecting the court to give him a chance to speak. But the court addressed his team instead.

“Where is the accused?” Justice Faisal Arab, the leading judge of the three-member special court, asked Anwar Mansoor.

“He is in court,” pat came the reply.

“Where?” the judge asked.

“Stand up,” Mansoor loudly signalled Musharraf.

Musharraf stood in his seat in the box, which was set up in front of his team.  “Assalam o Alaikum,” he greeted the bench, with a prompt salute. He looked as if he was about to speak into the microphone placed at the rostrum, but again, the bench addressed his team.

“Allow him to sit,” Kasuri requested the bench.

“Mr Musharraf, take your seat,” was the verbal order of Justice Arab.

Accepting Justice Arab’s gesture, Musharraf sat down, as the judges noted his appearance and watched him carefully.

Musharraf’s lawyers threatened to boycott the proceedings in case the court decided to frame charges against him. The court asked them to hear what the bench was saying. Mansoor contested the charges and said that it was not appropriate to frame charges before deciding the jurisdiction issue. The hearing was adjourned to today (Thursday).

After roughly 16 minutes in court, Musharraf left his seat in the witness box and made his way out. He saluted the police officers deputed along the way and thanked those surrounding him before sitting in his vehicle. He seemed alert, all the while vigilant about his security. A police officer seated next to him in the car offered a white bulletproof jacket to the former general, who accepted and strapped it on.

As Musharraf left the court, judges became a victim of the security protocol of the VVIP accused and were locked by a security official for over 10 minutes inside the courtroom.

They were instructed not to proceed to their chambers until Musharraf’s convoy had left the premises of the National Library.

At about 1:32 pm, Musharraf’s convoy got clearance to leave the venue. An ambulance was also part of the convoy, with thousands of security officials stretched over the premises as well as along the scheduled routes he was taking.

“We fulfilled our promises by bringing the former president before the court. This was what the surprise that I had been talking about,” said Kasuri.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2014.