ISLAMABAD, November 19: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought travel details for the return of former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani summoned the travel details as it heard a petition filed by former military ruler’s counsel, challenging constitution of a commission by a special court hearing the high treason case for recording statement of Musharraf.
During proceedings, the court ordered Musharraf’s lawyer Barrister Salman Safdar to present travel details, telling him to travel to Dubai and return with the former president.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar asked the lawyer to inform them about the travel record and when the former president would be returning,
while Justice Farooq said 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. On November 13, the IHC had rejected the former president’s plea seeking a stay in proceedings of the high treason case 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. The former army chief was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges. On March 18, 2016, the former president left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List on the orders of the Supreme Court. A few months later, the special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. Later, on orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf’s passport and identity card were also cancelled since he failed to return to the country despite a last chance. -Agencies
