No evading the law: SC issues non-bailable warrants for Musharraf

Orders police to produce him before the court this month

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court issued on Thursday non-bailable warrants (NBWs) of arrest against former president General (retired) Pervez Musharraf in connection with the murder case of Lal Masjid’s cleric Ghazi Abdul Rasheed.

The additional district and sessions judge, Wajid Ali Khan, issued NBWs with directions to the police to produce him before the court on April 27. The court order came after the former president failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons.

Musharraf’s counsels have been trying to avoid a court appearance over the case being pursued by Ghazi’s family citing ill health and security fears. In addition, they had also challenged court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter as well as maintained that the matter was pending before the Supreme Court and hearing should not be conducted till the apex court’s verdict.

On Thursday, the counsel for Musharraf once again moved an application requesting exemption from appearing on medical grounds despite the fact that the court, on a previous hearing, had issued bailable warrants.The suspect had been ordered to appear before the court after which the court was to decide whether he should be indicted or not in the case.

While issuing the warrants, the court had earlier directed the police not to arrest Musharraf if he assures through surety bond that he would appear before the court on the next date of hearing. Surety bond was submitted but Musharraf once again did not appear. In the application, the counsel said that Musharraf could not appear before the court due to illness and he would appear if a medical board was constituted to ascertain whether he was able to travel or not.

The counsels for Raheed opposed the applications saying that Musharraf has skipped many hearings on medical and security grounds and he did not appear before the court despite his bailabale warrants being issued. They requested the court to issue NBWs for the suspect.

While dismissing the application, the court ordered to forfeit surety bond worth Rs100,000 and take action under section 514 (procedure on forfeiture of bond) of the Criminal Procedure Code against the guarantor.

In 2013, police had registered a case against Musharraf over the alleged murder of Rasheed and his mother during the Lal Masjid military operation.

The case would be taken up on April 27.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2015.