The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought travel details for the return of former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani summoned the travel details of the former president while hearing a petition filed by his counsel. The petition challenged constitution of a commission formed by a special court to record Musharraf’s statement.
During proceedings, the court ordered Musharraf’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar to present travel details and asked him to travel to Dubai and return with the former president. Justice Mohsin Akhtar asked the lawyer to inform the bench when the former president would be returning while Justice Farooq remarked that the law pertaining to an absconder was clear.
The court assured the lawyer that Musharraf would be provided with complete security. Barrister Salman Safdar sought more time from the court after which the hearing was adjourned till the third week of December.
Back on November 13, the IHC rejected the former president’s plea seeking a stay in proceedings of the high treason case lodged against him.
Musharraf is facing a treason filed by the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. He was indicted in the case in March 2014. However, the former army chief appeared before the court and rejected all charges against him.
On March 18, 2016, the former president left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) on the orders of the SC. A few months later, the special court declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. Later, on orders of the SC, Musharraf’s passport and identity card were also cancelled since he had failed to return to the country.
Published in Daily Times, November 20th 2018.
