SHC pondering over removal of Mush’s name from ECL

• Court will deliver verdict on May 31 as AG opposes permission for former military ruler to fly abroad
• Musharraf’s counsel hopes for an end to travel bars

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday reserved its judgment on an application pertaining to the removal of former president Pervez Musharraf’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

The two-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, after hearing the arguments from both the parties, reserved its verdict till May 31.

The court observed that Musharraf was indicted in treason case and the court could not grant him any concession. The SHC bench ordered the prosecutor and counsel for Musharraf to submit relevant documents till May 31.

While giving his arguments during Thursday’s proceedings, Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt said the government could not risk removing the name of the former president from ECL. He also said that the former president believed that the courts had personal grudges with him and he did not have trust on the legal system.

MUSHARRAF’S COUNSEL HOPING FOR JUSTICE:

While talking to the journalists, Barrister Farogh Naseem hoped that SHC on May 31 will order the removal of Musharraf’s name from ECL.

Naseem said that he hoped that the court would give justice to his client, adding that former US ambassador Hussain Haqqani had also been given justice by the court by removing his name from ECL. He said Musharraf’s medical reports showed that his client was sick and treatment was not available in the country.

The counsel said that cases against Musharraf were under proceedings in five courts but no court imposed restriction on the movement of the former president. He repeated that the government wanted to influence the court by putting Musharraf’s name on ECL.

He said that Prosecutor Akram Sheikh has also said that it was treason charges against Musharraf as he just violated the Constitution. He said governor rule in Sindh was also violation of the Constitution but Nawaz Sharif was never charged with treason allegations.