Musharraf to appear before special court on May 2

LAHORE: Former president Pervez Musharraf has decided to return to the country to face a high treason case in special court.

According to media reports, lawyer for former president, Salman Safdar, said despite his deteriorating health condition Musharraf was determined to appear before the court that had summoned him for the hearing scheduled for May 2. The lawyer said because of his fragile health condition, the approval of his personal physician in the current circumstances is necessary. However, family sources have confirmed his arrival date, he added. Pervez Musharraf, who has failed to appear before the court due to his medical condition since 2016 is suffering from amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by a buildup of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues throughout the body.

Earlier on March 28, the court rejected Musharraf’s plea to defer till May 13 hearing of the high treason trial started in 2014 for his role in subverting the Constitution on November 3, 2007.

The three judge bench also gave the former president counsel a questionnaire that he was expected to answer under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedures (CrPC).

The bench headed by Justice Tahira Safdar and comprising of Justice Nazr Akbar and Justice Shahid Karim also dismissed his request for acquittal noting that such requests should be formally submitted.

Earlier, Salman Safdar requested the court to allow him reasonable time for defence of his client who left the country for medical treatment in 2016 but has never returned.—INP