Operation Sunrise: Sessions court summons Musharraf over Ghazi murder case

Judge orders former president to appear in next hearing on December 6

ISLAMABAD: Additional District and Sessions court on Saturday said former military ruler Pervez Musharraf must appear at a hearing in December over the killing of a radical cleric during the Lal Masjid operation, rejecting his fears over security.

Musharraf faces a string of court cases dating back to his 1999-2008 rule, including over the death of cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi, one of more than 100 people killed after Pakistani troops stormed the Lal Masjid on July 10, 2007.

Musharraf’s legal team has fought to avoid a court appearance over the case being pursued by Ghazi’s family, citing ill health — he has been receiving treatment for heart problems — and security fears.

“The court has rejected the exemption plea of General Pervez Musharraf in the case regarding killing of Abdul Rashid Ghazi and ordered him to appear on the next hearing of December 6,” Abdul Haq Malik, the lawyer representing the cleric’s son Haronur Rashid Ghazi, told AFP.

Musharraf’s lawyer said the former leader had not been satisfied with the security arrangements for the hearing, adding that the court has now ordered police to provide details for the ex-army chief’s appearance in court.

“We had requested the court to exempt General Musharraf from appearing in court on medical grounds and security fears, because the Islamabad police have not responded to our request for security,” said Musharraf’s lawyer Akhtar Shah.

“The judge rejected our plea but also ordered the police to provide additional security.”

Musharraf also faces treason charges over his imposition of emergency rule in 2007 — a historic first in a country that has been ruled by the military for half of its existence.

He further faces murder accusations over the 2006 death of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti and the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

In June, Pakistan’s Supreme Court suspended a decision which would have allowed Musharraf to leave the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2014.