Former president Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The three-member bench, led by Justice Faisal Arab, had directed the former president on March 11 to appear in person before the special court to hear the charges being read out against him.
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.
Security threat
Spy agencies gave an in-camera briefing at the Sindh House in Islamabad to special court judges regarding security threats to the former president.
The court had decided to ask heads of the country’s top spy agencies to give a briefing over the authenticity of the threat alert issued by the interior ministry, which stated that there could be a possible attack on Musharraf by al Qaeda and TTP.
The heads of intelligence agencies, including the director-general of the ISI, briefed the court about its security alert that warned of militants lining up Musharraf convoy’s route from AFIC to special court premises in an attempt to target him.
Officials from the interior ministry were also present at the briefing.
Security plan
Musharraf's security plan for tomorrow's hearing was finalised today, Express News reported.
According to the security plan, three routes have been selected of which one will be taken by the former president to go to the special court on March 14 for the treason case.
Musharraf's security will have three components: 200 close security officers, 500 Rangers personnel and thirdly 2,000 police officers.
Health issues
During today's hearing, Musharraf's lawyer Anwar Mansoor told the special court that he suffered from food poisoning and there was no chance that he would recover and be able to present his arguments tomorrow.
Justice Arab replied that they cannot force him to present his arguments but the court would not stop proceedings for this reason.
Still out of court
For the second day this week, member of Musharraf's legal team Rana Ijaz Ahmed Khan was not allowed to enter the courtroom.
The court had asked security officials to cancel Ijaz’s entry pass for his contemptuous behaviour and derogatory remarks about special court judges during proceedings on March 11 when he had called the court a “slaughterhouse”.
Ijaz told the media today that it was his right to enter the court and defend his client, but he was not being allowed to do so.
COMMENTS (13)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@ dr mustafa
Read Mandela's biography Long Walk to Freedom to know about the facts Dont theorise
As for Musharraf, his presence is required only once in Court and he duly appeared Why was the Kangaroo Court scared of indicting him ? Judges know the politics of the sham charges
@Tahir: War which was never ours? You must be drinking the same potion that IK drinks. 90% of 911 terrorists were residing in Pakistan, 90% of post 911 terrorists were linked to training activities in Pakistan, UN Security Council passed resolution to rid from these terrorists that Pakistan is bound to follow, and your likes continue to claim this is not our war? What a farse! Please refrain from such childish slogans. This war was thrust on Pakistan by these terrorists, be it Al Qaeda or the Taliban, and no one else. And we need to put this genie back in the bottle - or someone else will do it for us and you will continue to cry foul.
@Tahir We created these monsters and we have to finish them off. If you still think its not our war go jump in the lake pls and stop making such naive comments.
Do'nt create anather problem in a problem ridden Pakistan . Forget Musarraf and Kashmir for the sake of peace and prosperity of Pakistan .
Naive as we been: Turning blind eyes' the hatcheries strengthen them to such extent, just 1-2 years they will knock each ones' door, aleardy footprints in Islamabad Karachi Peshawar, Quetta.
@excalibur: sorry to burst your balloon but Musharaf is no Nelson mandela.Nelson was never scared of the courts and attended all his court hearings.Musharaf is more akin to likes of Pinochet,Hasni Mubarak and Gadafhi.
Musharraf and his lawyers are trying every trick in the book to avoid facing the courts. I wouldnt put it past them to even be the ones to raise all the threats in the first place to help Musharraf avoid justice at all costs..
The man who called himself the new Ataturk should show some spine.
So jumping in a war which was never ours is the criterion for 'Zindabad' nowadays?????
Sir Musharraf zindabad