Ghazi murder case: Musharraf challenges arrest warrants

Counsel requests IHC to set aside orders citing ill health

ISLAMABAD: Former President Gen (retired) Pervez Musharraf has challenged issuance of non-bailable warrants (NBWs) of arrest issued against him before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday.

On April 2, a district and sessions court issued NBWs with directions to forfeit surety bond after the former president failed to appear before the court in connection with the murder case of Lal Masjid’s cleric Ghazi Abdul Rasheed.

While dismissing the exemption application, the court had 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.

On Friday Malik Tahir Mehmood, the counsel for Musharraf, filed a petition against the dismissal of the exemption leave and the subsequent orders. In the petition, Mehmood requested the court to set aside all three orders as Musharraf could not appear before the court due to his illness.

The counsel said that he had moved application seeking exemption for one hearing on medical grounds but it was dismissed. Former president was willing to appear before the court but couldn’t due to his health conditions, he said.

In 2013, police had registered a case against Musharraf over the alleged murder of Rasheed and his mother during the Lal Masjid military operation. Musharraf’s attorneys have repeatedly been trying to avoid a court appearance citing ill health and security fears.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2015.