Judges’ detention case: ‘Missing’ Musharraf lawyer irks bench

He was busy at the Supreme Court, will complete arguments in next hearing.

ISLAMABAD: An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) expressed serious concerns over the continuing absence of former president Pervez Musharraf’s counsel in the judges’ detention case.

ATC Judge Sohail Ikram took up the case on Friday. However, Musharraf’s counsel failed to appear, which irked the judge. “As arguments could not be completed in the last one-and-a-half year, why shouldn’t this court issue a non-bailable arrest warrant for Gen Musharraf,” observed the Judge.

Musharraf is facing terrorism charges in the case, which was based on a first information report (FIR) registered against him on August 11, 2009 by the Secretariat police for detaining over 60 judges including former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

During the course of hearing, Islamabad Police Special Prosecutor Amir Nadeem Tabish appeared before the court. The court was informed that Ilyas Siddiqui, counsel for Musharraf, was busy at the Supreme Court and was unable to appear. Siddiqui’s colleague assured the bench that the lawyer will be present at the next hearing to complete his arguments and requested that the court adjourn till then. The court then adjourned till February 27.

In June 2013 the court had indicted Musharraf in the judges’ detention case. According to the charge sheet, the military ruler had imposed a state of emergency and detained the judges. Fifteen lawyers had already recorded their statements as witnesses against Musharraf. On June 11, 2013, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted pre-arrest bail to the former president.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2015.