Musharraf not to appear before SC due to security concerns

Former president Pervez Musharraf has decided not to appear before the Supreme Court (SC) in person due to security concerns.

Musharraf was summoned by the SC on Monday during the hearing in the treason case filed against the former army chief.

Sources close to the former president said Musharraf had taken the decision following advice of his counsels in wake of fresh threats to life hurled by the Taliban.

They said close aides and lawyers of Musharraf said that if he appeared in court, the lawyers could voice protest and any untoward incident could occur if the situation got out of hand.

Therefore, he has set aside plans to head to court in person.

Lawyers of the former president are of the opinion that the SC had not issued any directive to him to appear before it in person during the hearing of the petitions on Monday and it had only served a notice on him. Therefore, his lawyers could give reply in court on his behalf.

Media reports have said that Mullah Omar, chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan, has said that the Taliban could take any step against Musharraf whenever they wanted.

“No power in the word except Almighty Allah can save Musharraf from the Taliban,” Mullah Omar added.

Adnan Rashid, accused in an attack on Musharraf had fled from Bannu prison along with others following the announcement made by Musharraf about his return to home.

In the wake of these threats, senior military officers had sent a letter to the Ministry of Defence for providing security to him being a former army chief and the ministry had forwarded the letter to the Interior Ministry.