An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday exempted former president Pervez Musharraf from appearing to attend the proceedings of the Akbar Bugti murder case.
Summoning him on June 16, the court ordered that the former president’s guarantors should ensure his presence in the future hearings. ATC Judge Tariq Anwar Kasi was hearing the case.
Musharraf’s counsel submitted a petition, requesting to exempt his client from appearing on medical ground, which the court granted. However, the court asked the guarantors to ensure Musharraf’s presence on the next hearing.
Musharraf, who has been indicted by a special court for treason, has been on bail in three other major cases dating to his time in power, including one relating to the 2006 assassination of Bugti during a military operation.
This is the sixth time that the court has ordered for the former president’s appearance in the court, but he has remained absent from all hearings despite assurance provided by his guarantors.
Two of the co-accused in the case, former federal interior minister Aftab Sherpao and former provincial interior minister Shoaib Nausherwani appeared in the court. Both requested for their acquittal from the Bugti case. The ATC issued notices to the relevant authorities.
