The leader of the team prosecuting former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf said Wednesday the frequent rescheduling of the court case has come at a high financial cost to the country.
Musharraf, who has been indicted for treason on charges relating to his 2007 imposition of emergency, has failed to appear in court 13 times citing medical and security reasons.
Leader of the prosecution team, Akram Sheikh, said a ‘phenomenal’ amount of money has been spent since the case was filed in December last year.
“The expenditure spent on Musharraf’s security for 13 dates which were fixed for his appearance, were phenomenal, not affordable by a poor country like Pakistan,” he said.
Retired lieutenant general and political commentator, Talat Masood said he was “unsure why Musharraf was delaying his court appearances”, saying that on one hand he (Musharraf) decided voluntarily to return to Pakistan to clear him name, because he believed he had done nothing wrong, and his point of view would be vindicated,” he said in an interview with a foreign news agency.
“Maybe he misunderstood and there was some sort of assurance from certain quarters. Whatever the case, it seems he was in a dilemma as to whether he should go to the court or not,” said the former army general.
With the case has now adjourned till April 15, Musharraf has been granted an exemption from appearing in the court hearings, but could be ordered to appear when required.
Previously, his lawyer filed a formal request with the interior ministry to let him travel to Dubai to visit his elderly ailing mother, for which his name would have to be removed from the Exit Control List, for which matter, the court and the federal government are playing football with the task pushing burden of the matter on each other. No final decision has been reach yet whether to let the former army general fly abroad or not.
