A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday extended the judicial remand of former president General (R) Pervez Musharraf till May 18 in the judge’s detention case.
A bail application was filed on behalf of Pervez Musharraf in the ATC in Islamabad. During the judge’s detention case hearing, Musharraf’s counsel Imran Feroz and Ziaur Rehman filed a bail application on which the judge issued notices to both parties to hear arguments. This was followed by a directive of the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad, Jawad Paul, according to which the trial of Musharaf would be held at his sub-jail Chak Shahzad due to security reasons.
The case is based on an FIR against the retired general registered in August 11, 2009 on the complaint of Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman advocate. He had asked the police to initiate legal proceedings against Musharraf for detaining over 60 judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, after proclamation of a state of emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.
Musharraf’s lawyers argued that their client was facing threats; therefore, he should be exempted from personal appearance. They said that police too had voiced inability to provide security to Musharraf.
After hearing arguments, the court exempted Musharraf from in-person appearance.
About Musharraf’s jail trial, the judge said that although a notification in this regard was received from the chief commissioner, the jail trial would begin only after the approval of Islamabad High Court.
