IHC turns down petition seeking Musharraf’s name to be put on ECL

The Islamabad High Court on Friday turned down a petition seeking direction to put former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf’s name on the exit-control list (ECL) for his alleged involvement in the Lal Masjid operation, while the district court in the same case sent the former dictator on a 14-day judicial remand.

Complainant Haroon Rashid, son of the Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi, accused Musharraf of murdering his father Abdul Rashid Ghazi, his grandmother Sabiha Khatoon and others.

The complainant had moved the IHC, requesting it to put Musharraf’s name on the ECL as after getting bails in all important cases, the accused could leave the country. However, Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan of the IHC dismissed the petition.

The court rejected the petition on the basis that the accused was already behind bars, so there was no question of putting his name on the ECL.

Police had earlier refused to register an FIR against Musharraf for his alleged involvement in the Lal Masjid operation. However, Haroon approached the IHC, which ordered the police to register the FIR.

Advocate Tariq Asad, counsel for the petitioner, pleaded that the former president, after obtaining bail in the Akbar Bugti case, was now set to leave the country. He said once Musharraf managed to leave the country, he would never return.

Of the four cases against him, Musharraf has gotten bails in three, the Benazir Bhutto murder case, the judges detention case and the Akbar Bugti murder case.

Meanwhile, at the district court, a judicial magistrate Malik Aman sent Musharraf to jail on 14-day judicial remand.

During the proceedings, the judge refused to grant the remand, directing the police to produce the accused before it and only then it could decide the matter. However, later, police officers managed to convince the judge stating that bringing the accused to court involved serious security risks.

The judge then sent Musharraf on a judicial remand to jail.

The former president is facing serious life threats from the Taliban as during his tenure, he also started a number of military operations against militants.