Lal Masjid operation: Army was called in by civil admin, says Musharraf’s lawyer

Justice Qureshi had earlier requested that documents on record be brought before the court

ISLAMABAD: A counsel for former president Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday requested the Islamabad High Court to quash the FIR registered against his client in the Ghazi murder case, saying the Lal Masjid operation was conducted at the request of civil administration.

Akhtar Shah, the petitioner and president of Pakistan Social Justice Party, placed before the court letters penned by Islamabad’s senior superintendent of police (SSP), deputy commissioner and chief commissioner seeking army assistance. He has also submitted the interior ministry’s acceptance of the request letter.

Shah filed the letters in response to the directions issued by Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi earlier ordering him to place the documents on record.

The SSP and deputy commissioner letter requested “requisition of armed forces in aid of civil administration” while the chief commissioner’s letter was titled ‘calling of army in aid of civil power,’ Shah stated.

He further requested the court to grant more time for submitting copies of the letters.

In the petition filed in 2013, Shah had maintained that army was called in under Article 245 of the constitution in aid of civil power. He said that the office of the president was accused in the case, but Article 248 of the Constitution grants protection to the president.

The interior secretary, inspector general of the Islamabad Police, the Aabpara SHO, and Haroon Rasheed are listed as respondents in the petition.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2015.