Explosion: Musharraf escapes ‘assassination attempt’

ISLAMABAD:

Former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf escaped an alleged assassination attempt on Thursday when a bomb exploded on the road that his convoy had passed minutes earlier. He was on his way to his Chak Shahzad farmhouse from the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC), Rawalpindi.

Musharraf’s aides and police officials confirmed that the former general – who is currently facing five charges of high treason in an ongoing trial – had safely arrived at the farmhouse when the explosion took place.

“He is safe and fine,” said Aasia Ishaq, a spokesperson for Musharraf’s political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML). “The explosion occurred around 20 minutes after he had reached Chak Shahzad.”

Police officials said around one kilogramme of explosives planted in a drainpipe near the Faizabad interchange, which connects Rawalpindi to Islamabad, exploded around 2:30 am on Thursday.

Musharraf, who was indicted on March 31 by a special court hearing a case of high treason against him, had been admitted at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) since January 3.

Police said they have increased the number of deployed and back-up security personnel for the farmhouse, which is also provided cover by private guards and Rangers.

According to officials, the interior ministry has also directed the Capital Development Authority to build a security wall around the house.

Earlier, explosives were found twice near the same farmhouse, which was declared a sub-jail for Musharraf between April and November 2013. In April last year, an explosive-laden car was discovered outside the farmhouse and on December 30, packets of explosives were found on a road nearby.

The explosion on Thursday was the fifth time since April 2013 that explosives were found on Musharraf’s travel route or near his house.

APML officials alleged Thursday’s explosion was conducted by the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). However, no group has claimed responsibility for the incident so far.

The brick-lined footpath near the Faizabad interchange was slightly damaged in the explosion, dislodging some bricks. One man, who was driving near the explosion site at the time of the incident, was slightly injured and was treated at a hospital in H-8, a police spokesperson said.

The Secretariat police station has registered a case against unidentified persons under sections 3 and 4 of the Explosives Act for the attack, on the complaint of APML workers.

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