History will hold judges responsible if anything happens to Musharraf: Kasuri

Kasuri says proper screening of security officers necessary to ensure Musharraf's safety.

ISLAMABAD: Advocate Ahmed Raza Kasuri told the special court that former president Pervez Musharraf could not make it to court as his life was still under threat, Express News reported on Tuesday.

During the hearing of the treason case against Musharraf, Kasuri stated that the interior ministry had said that there was a threat to Musharraf's life.

The interior ministry, which happens to be his prosecutor, had warned that there is a serious threat to his life from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al Qaeda.

Kasuri further stated that if something happens to the retired general, history would hold the three judges of the special court - Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar and Justice Yawar Ali - responsible.

Prosecutor Akram Sheikh told the court that security was increased as 2,200 officers - compared to earlier 1,100 - were deployed to ensure Musharraf's safety.

Kasuri said proper screening of security officers was necessary to ensure safety.

Rana Ijaz Ahmed Khan, a member of Musharraf’s legal team was escorted out of the courtroom for exchanging harsh words with the judges.

Escorted out

Khan claimed that the judges were “killers for hire” to which the court responded that he committed contempt of court and a notice would be issued to him in this regard.

Speaking to the media, Musharraf's counsel Barrister Saif said that the judges asked security to escort Khan out of the court, claiming that this action by the judges was proof that they were biased against Musharraf.

Musharraf was ordered to appear before the court on March 14.

Background

The former president faces treason charges under Article 6 for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts.

The 70-year-old had fallen ill and taken to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi over three months ago where he is still under treatment.