Why Musharraf not coming, asks CJ

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday offered high-level security as well as better treatment facilities to General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on his return to the country, to face the trials pending against him.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said that head of the Rangers force in the relevant province would be responsible for Musharaf’s security as well as providing him the services of best doctors available if he comes back and faces the cases pending against him including high treason case.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umer Ata Bandyal and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, resumed hearing in the petition, filed by one Feroz Shah Gilani. The petitioner prayed that in order to recover ‘huge amounts of public money’ misappropriated and wasted by them through unlawful means ‘already on record in different judgments of the Supreme Court and high court.

The petitioner had made former presidents Pervez Musharraf, Asif Ali Zardari and former Attorney General Malik Qayyum as respondents. The petitioner had contended that Musharraf subverted the Constitution by declaring an emergency, followed by promulgation of the NRO, through which criminal and corruption cases against politicians, including Zardari, were arbitrarily withdrawn.

On Tuesday, the court offered high-level security to the former president upon his return to the country and gave Akhtar Shah, counsel for former president, time to inform it about the timeframe of his return.

During the course of hearing, the CJ asked the counsel as to why Musharraf was reluctant to come back and face trials, pending against him. He recalled that Musharraf went abroad on the pretext of pain in his backbone.

However, later on he was found quite healthy and dancing abroad, but reluctant to return home.

The counsel, however, submitted that his client respected the courts but could not return because of security issues.

The chief justice then said that the head of the Rangers force in the relevant province will be responsible for Musharraf’s security upon his return to the country.

The CJ further assured that Musharraf would also be offered the services of the best available doctors in the country if he comes back.

The court also hinted at de-sealing his farmhouse to accommodate him upon his return.

“We will ask the embassy to give all documents to former president so that he could return to the country and face the cases pending against him,” the CJ said adding that high treason case is pending against him in the special court.

The counsel submitted that his client respected the court and wanted to attend the court proceedings, but he should be allowed to go back.

The chief justice said let him come back firs, as the special court is to record his statement under Section 342. After he gets clearance in the instant case, he can go wherever he wants, added the CJ.

During the hearing, the lawyer informed the court that Pervez Musharraf owns nothing in the country, whereas he has a flat worth 5.4 million dirhams in Dubai.

The counsel told the court that a farmhouse in Chak Shahzad, worth Rs43.6m, had been leased in the name of Musharraf’s wife.

Later, the court gave a week to the counsel for submitting a timeframe for return of Musharraf.