Terror threats won’t deter Musharraf’s judges

• Special court to give ruling on former president’s objection to judges on 7th

Justice Faisal Arab made the remarks after Musharraf’s lawyers presented a threat note allegedly from the banned terrorist outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan warning them to dissociate themselves from the case.

The defence lawyers said they could not continue with the court proceedings under the prevailing security situation.

Counsel for the former president, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, read the letter in the court which said that if lawyers Hafeez Pirzada, Anwar Mansoor and Kasuri did not dissociate themselves from Musharraf’s trial, the three would face “dire consequences”.

Kasuri said that the attack on Islamabad district courts on Monday also appeared to be connected with Musharraf’s trial. He said that all bar councils had decided to boycott court proceedings until March 9 and all lawyers were bound to follow the direction.

Rana Ijaz, one of Musharraf’s lawyers, informed the court that he too had received credible reports that the special court will be attacked. He stated that it was not just the three-member bench that would be targeted, but lives of three of Musharraf’s advocates were also in danger.

Justice Arab said that he had spoken to the inspector general of police and commissioner of Islamabad for around an hour on March 4 and they had assured him that the court is secure.

Anwar Mansoor said that he was stopped at gunpoint by two men in Karachi and he was not in the right frame of mind to plead the case.

After hearing this, Justice Arab said that though dangers existed but nothing could be done about it and the case could not be stopped in order to wait for a suitable time.

Kasuri claimed that if anything were to happen to him the Sharif brothers would be held responsible, adding that he had taken one prime minister to the gallows and would not hesitate to drag another as well.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Akram Sheikh said that he would continue his “struggle against terrorism”. He argued that all his sympathies are with the legal fraternity but courts kept working during wars as well.

Talking to reporters after the hearing, Kasuri said that in the prevailing situation, he would advise his client not to appear in the court nor would he step down from his position as Musharraf’s counsel.

He further said that he was not under any fear with regard to the TTP threat letter and that his motive was only to inform the court regarding the development.

Justice Faisal Arab made the remarks after Musharraf’s lawyers presented a threat note allegedly from the banned terrorist outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan warning them to dissociate themselves from the case.

The defence lawyers said they could not continue with the court proceedings under the prevailing security situation.

Counsel for the former president, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, read the letter in the court which said that if lawyers Hafeez Pirzada, Anwar Mansoor and Kasuri did not dissociate themselves from Musharraf’s trial, the three would face “dire consequences”.

Kasuri said that the attack on Islamabad district courts on Monday also appeared to be connected with Musharraf’s trial. He said that all bar councils had decided to boycott court proceedings until March 9 and all lawyers were bound to follow the direction.

Rana Ijaz, one of Musharraf’s lawyers, informed the court that he too had received credible reports that the special court will be attacked. He stated that it was not just the three-member bench that would be targeted, but lives of three of Musharraf’s advocates were also in danger.

Justice Arab said that he had spoken to the inspector general of police and commissioner of Islamabad for around an hour on March 4 and they had assured him that the court is secure.

Anwar Mansoor said that he was stopped at gunpoint by two men in Karachi and he was not in the right frame of mind to plead the case.

After hearing this, Justice Arab said that though dangers existed but nothing could be done about it and the case could not be stopped in order to wait for a suitable time.

Kasuri claimed that if anything were to happen to him the Sharif brothers would be held responsible, adding that he had taken one prime minister to the gallows and would not hesitate to drag another as well.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Akram Sheikh said that he would continue his “struggle against terrorism”. He argued that all his sympathies are with the legal fraternity but courts kept working during wars as well.

Talking to reporters after the hearing, Kasuri said that in the prevailing situation, he would advise his client not to appear in the court nor would he step down from his position as Musharraf’s counsel.

He further said that he was not under any fear with regard to the TTP threat letter and that his motive was only to inform the court regarding the development.

Justice Faisal Arab made the remarks after Musharraf’s lawyers presented a threat note allegedly from the banned terrorist outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan warning them to dissociate themselves from the case.

The defence lawyers said they could not continue with the court proceedings under the prevailing security situation.

Counsel for the former president, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, read the letter in the court which said that if lawyers Hafeez Pirzada, Anwar Mansoor and Kasuri did not dissociate themselves from Musharraf’s trial, the three would face “dire consequences”.

Kasuri said that the attack on Islamabad district courts on Monday also appeared to be connected with Musharraf’s trial. He said that all bar councils had decided to boycott court proceedings until March 9 and all lawyers were bound to follow the direction.

Rana Ijaz, one of Musharraf’s lawyers, informed the court that he too had received credible reports that the special court will be attacked. He stated that it was not just the three-member bench that would be targeted, but lives of three of Musharraf’s advocates were also in danger.

Justice Arab said that he had spoken to the inspector general of police and commissioner of Islamabad for around an hour on March 4 and they had assured him that the court is secure.

Anwar Mansoor said that he was stopped at gunpoint by two men in Karachi and he was not in the right frame of mind to plead the case.

After hearing this, Justice Arab said that though dangers existed but nothing could be done about it and the case could not be stopped in order to wait for a suitable time.

Kasuri claimed that if anything were to happen to him the Sharif brothers would be held responsible, adding that he had taken one prime minister to the gallows and would not hesitate to drag another as well.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Akram Sheikh said that he would continue his “struggle against terrorism”. He argued that all his sympathies are with the legal fraternity but courts kept working during wars as well.

Talking to reporters after the hearing, Kasuri said that in the prevailing situation, he would advise his client not to appear in the court nor would he step down from his position as Musharraf’s counsel.

He further said that he was not under any fear with regard to the TTP threat letter and that his motive was only to inform the court regarding the development.

The head judge of the special court hearing the high treason case against General (r) Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said that terrorist attacks could not deter the courts from conducting legal proceedings against the former military ruler, and the court would give its ruling on a petition regarding the judges’ alleged bias on March 7.

Justice Faisal Arab made the remarks after Musharraf’s lawyers presented a threat note allegedly from the banned terrorist outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan warning them to dissociate themselves from the case.

The defence lawyers said they could not continue with the court proceedings under the prevailing security situation.

Counsel for the former president, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, read the letter in the court which said that if lawyers Hafeez Pirzada, Anwar Mansoor and Kasuri did not dissociate themselves from Musharraf’s trial, the three would face “dire consequences”.

Kasuri said that the attack on Islamabad district courts on Monday also appeared to be connected with Musharraf’s trial. He said that all bar councils had decided to boycott court proceedings until March 9 and all lawyers were bound to follow the direction.

Rana Ijaz, one of Musharraf’s lawyers, informed the court that he too had received credible reports that the special court will be attacked. He stated that it was not just the three-member bench that would be targeted, but lives of three of Musharraf’s advocates were also in danger.

Justice Arab said that he had spoken to the inspector general of police and commissioner of Islamabad for around an hour on March 4 and they had assured him that the court is secure.

Anwar Mansoor said that he was stopped at gunpoint by two men in Karachi and he was not in the right frame of mind to plead the case.

After hearing this, Justice Arab said that though dangers existed but nothing could be done about it and the case could not be stopped in order to wait for a suitable time.

Kasuri claimed that if anything were to happen to him the Sharif brothers would be held responsible, adding that he had taken one prime minister to the gallows and would not hesitate to drag another as well.

Meanwhile, prosecutor Akram Sheikh said that he would continue his “struggle against terrorism”. He argued that all his sympathies are with the legal fraternity but courts kept working during wars as well.

Talking to reporters after the hearing, Kasuri said that in the prevailing situation, he would advise his client not to appear in the court nor would he step down from his position as Musharraf’s counsel.

He further said that he was not under any fear with regard to the TTP threat letter and that his motive was only to inform the court regarding the development.