Court says Musharraf is a free man

A court on Wednesday issued a written order for the release of former president Pervez Musharraf.
The legal team submitted two surety bonds worth Rs 200,000 in the additional session judge’s court. After which the court issued a written order for the former president’s release. The order reads that a joint investigation had deemed the evidence insufficient, declaring Musharraf innocent.
After this development, Musharraf’s counsel said the farmhouse – notified as a subjail – would be de-notified and the jail staff deployed there would go back to Adiala Jail.
“Musharraf has been given bail in all four cases and he is now an “average citizen,” says Ilyas Siddiqui, a member of the legal team.
On Monday, a trial court granted bail to the former president in Lal Masjid Operation case, removing last legal hurdle on his way to move anywhere within the country as he has already gotten bails in other cases.
On September 2, Aabpara police, on the directions of the Islamabad High Court had registered a case against him for allegedly issuing orders of military offensive in Lal Masjid.
After conducting a week-long detailed hearings, the district court granted bail to him against two surety bonds worth Rs 2 lakh, enabling him to move anywhere within the country. However, he cannot move abroad as his name is still on the Exit Control List (ECL).
During the hearings on Monday, Lal Masjid lawyer Tariq Asad pleaded that former dictator ordered military operation at Lal Masjid that killed dozens of innocent including Ghazi Abdul Rashid and his mother. He contended that Police is hands in gloves with the former dictator as during investigations of the case police had given him clean chit.
On the other side, defence lawyer, Ilyas Siddiqui said that former president has no role in 2007 Lal Masjid operation and it was conducted on the request of then administration of Islamabad Capital Territory.
He said that police investigation team has already declared Musharraf in this case as innocent. After hearing arguments from both sides- judge granted bail to former military chief.
The former president after ending his self-imposed exile had returned to Pakistan in March to take part in general elections, however, he was disqualified.