ISLAMABAD - Former President General (Retd) Pervez Muaharraf’s appearance before the special court on Friday (today) is only possible if doctors allow him to leave the hospital, but a surprise appearance at the last moment cannot be ruled out, sources close to the former President said.
“Though many in his legal team may not agree, the General himself wants to appear in the court,” a lawyer in Musharraf legal team revealed to The Nation on Thursday while requesting for anonymity.
The former dictator was admitted to Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi after he developed heart ailment. Since the start of the high treason trial against him, Musharraf has not appeared before the court.
On the other hand, Islamabad police have finalised a compliance report over Musharraf’s arrest warrant in the treason case. Police have completed compliance report in connection with arrest warrants of former President Musharraf in high treason case and IG Islamabad will present this report in Special Court (SC) today (Friday), a senior police official confirmed to The Nation.
He said a police team led by SP Rural Capt (Retd) Ilyas had served arrest warrants to Musharraf in AFIC on February 3. The former president while receiving the warrants had assured about his appearance in the court. Personal sureties furnished by Rashid Qureshi have also been made part of the compliance report. The capital police, on the directions of interior ministry, have made foolproof security arrangements for Musharraf’s likely appearance before the special court.
A senior police officer said that elaborate security arrangements have been made from AFIC to Red Zone area of the federal capital where special court would meet on Friday. He further said that more than 1100 officials of police as well as Rangers had been deployed for the security of former military ruler. In addition to that, elite police force commandos had also been deployed while officials of special branch and other intelligence agencies in plain clothes would do their duties for the security of former chief of army staff.