IHC suspends non-bailable arrest warrant for former military strongman
A nine-member medical team constituted to examine Pervez Musharraf’s health has said in its report that the former military ruler is suffering from backache, neurological and cardiac problems.
The Sindh government had formed a medical team on April 1 on the directives of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) to investigate his continued absence from court in the murder case of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti on the pretext of medical problems.
Balochistan Director General Health Dr Farooq Azam presented an eight-page report before Quetta ATC Judge Aftab Ahmed Lone following which the court accepted a day’s exemption from appearance to the former military ruler.
Jamil Bugti’s lawyer, Sohail Rajput, while talking to reporters outside the ATC said, “We will challenge the medical report.”
Former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and former Balochistan home minister Mir Shoaib Nowsherwani also appeared before the court. The former ministers are also accused in the murder of Bugti.
The ATC judge rejected the applications of both ministers for permanent exemptions from appearance in the case.
“We will challenge the order of the ATC in high court,” Sherpao told reporters outside the court. The case was adjourned till April 22.
IHC SUSPENDS ARREST WARRANTS:
Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday suspended the non-bailable arrest warrant of Musharraf issued by an additional sessions judge in an ongoing case pertaining to the murder of former Lal Masjid cleric Ghazi Abdul Rasheed.
IHC Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi directed Pervez Musharraf to appear before the additional sessions judge on April 27.
Justice Qureshi also directed the counsel of the former president to submit an affidavit regarding the appearance of his client.
On April 3, Musharraf had challenged the non-bailable arrest warrants issued in his name by Additional District and Sessions Judge Wajid Ali Khan on April 2 over the former’s failure to appear in court despite repeated summons.
On April 1, the former president was finally examined by the medical board, after two previous attempts by the board, for which he did not turn up before the board members at the Sindh Services’ Hospital (SSH), citing security reasons.
Musharraf’s counsel has previously excused the former president’s absence in court due to medical conditions that allegedly render him unfit to travel.
