ISLAMABAD - The Special Court Wednesday summoned heads of the intelligence agencies today (Thursday) on whose information National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC), Ministry of Interior, issued alert about former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf’s security.
Justice Faisal Arab, President Special Court, hearing the case said as the accused (Musharraf) did not appear the previous day on account of security threats, which were also confirmed by secretary interior before this court, therefore they were inclined to confirm its authenticity. The court, therefore, directed heads of intelligence agencies to brief it about the security threats in the chambers at 01:00 p.m. on Thursday. Chaudhry Mubarak Ali, joint secretary ministry of interior, who was present in the court, was ordered to convey the order to the concerned heads of the agencies.
The interior ministry on the eve of Musharraf’s appearance for framing of charges on Monday issued an alert that al-Qaeda and Taliban had planned to target Musharraf on the way to the court. It also stated the attackers had planned to assassinate him inside or outside the court or he could be killed by his own guard as was done in the case of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer.
The bench banned the entry of Musharraf’s counsel Rana Ijaz in the Special Court premises, which has been established in the National Library, Islamabad. The court in its Tuesday order observed: “Rana Ijaz has conducted himself in a manner unbecoming of a legal practitioner and also ‘committed contempt on the face of the court’.” The court’s order has been sent to the Pakistan Bar Council and the Punjab Bar Council for taking appropriate disciplinary action against Rana Ijaz.
In the morning when Rana Ijaz came to the court for attending the proceeding, the security guards at the gate stopped him. They told him that on the direction of the court his entry pass has been cancelled and they were ordered not to allow Ijaz enter the courtroom. Rana Ijaz during the proceeding on Tuesday misbehaved with the President Special Court and had called the judges ‘contract killers.’
Due to the absence of Anwar Mansoor, who had to argue the application on appointment of Akram Sheikh as prosecutor, the case was adjourned till Thursday. Sharif-ud-Din Pirzada informed that Anwar Mansoor was suffering from food poisoning and prayed to postpone the case till tomorrow, which the court accepted.
Talking to media outside the court premises Ejaz said he would not tender apology and if the court wanted to send him to jail then he was ready for it. Faisal Chaudhry, another Musharraf’s counsel, condemned the court for banning the entry of his teammate.
Ikram Chaudhry, one of the prosecutors, talking to The Nation said it was a surprise for the whole world that how a secrete document, which was communicated to various departments concerning security was made public. He questioned how the defence counsels got hold of it, which they read out in open court while the prosecution side was completely unaware of it.
He demanded that the incident needed to be investigated and the responsibility should be fixed for leaking out secret information related to security. He said a section of intelligence agencies and a few generals, and not the army as an institution, wanted to hamper the smooth trial of Musharraf. He said the intention of these elements was to violate the law and constitution of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, in pursuance of the three-member Special Court orders, Federal Secretary Interior has written a letter to the Director General ISI conveying that the court wants a detailed briefing from him regarding the security of Pervez Musharraf.
The letter has been written in the light of the advice of prosecutor in the high treason case, an official source informed.
Director media of the Ministry of Interior, Danyal Gilani said that he was unaware of such development.
National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) of Interior Ministry on Monday had issued a security alert, on the report of an intelligence agency, that the former military ruler could face an attack from his own security personnel on the pattern of an attack in which former Governor Salman Taseer was killed by a guard.