ISLAMABAD -  The government has told a Special Court that Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf will be accorded a complete security that he availed as president of Pakistan if he would appear before the court in the high treason case.

When a three-judge Special Court headed by Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar and Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali took up the case, head of the prosecution team, Akram Sheikh, on behalf of the Ministry of Interior made a statement: “An accused cannot dictate his terms for appearance before the court, however, in case Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf surrenders himself and appear before this court the State undertake to give him all the security that he availed as president of Pakistan.”

He said the State has no malice and mala fide intention. The court directed Musharraf’s counsel to get instruction from his client regarding the offer made by the prosecution team.

The court expressed dissatisfaction over a report on Musharraf’s properties and said it was still not complete. Dr Naila Zafar, Joint Secretary Ministry of Interior, told the court that despite the ministry’s repeated requests, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Lahore and Karachi, have not provided the requisite information about Musharraf’s properties, as mentioned in the report.

The court directed the ministry to furnish the requisite information regarding the properties mentioned in the report at the next hearing. The bench said in case the DHA Lahore and Karachi fail to furnish the requisite information to the ministry, the director general/administrators of DHA Lahore and Karachi will be directed to appear in person along with the record of Musharraf’s properties.

The court dismissed the Shahid Orakzai’s application against the appointment of Akram Sheikh as a prosecutor in the high treason case. It noted that the application was bereft of any legal merit.

Earlier, Akram Sheikh argued that the trial in terms of the law had been concluded and now only the statement of the accused under 342 of Pakistan Penal Code has to be recorded or he could submit his written statement.

The prosecution has completed the evidence and the accused has fully participated in the trial. He said that the written statement could be filed under the Special Law and not under the Common Law, and it would become part of the record.

The chief prosecutor contended that upon completion of evidence, a date was set for the cross-examination of the accused (Musharraf), but a week before the hearing of the case, he went abroad. “It should be clear to the world that this trial is not in absentia but Musharraf has fully participated in this case,” he added.

The case was adjourned till July 18, 2017.