ISLAMABAD - Pervez Musharraf – who has weathered a number of life attempts and braved a string of legal challenges – is suffering from nine different diseases, according to his medical report presented to a special court hearing the most serious (treason) case against him.
The three-judge Special Court passed no formal order regarding appearance or exemption of the former military ruler and said it would examine the four-page medical report submitted by the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC), where Musharraf is admitted, and would pass an order on Thursday.
The medical report of the former dictator-president – who was termed ‘Tom’ (a cat character of a popular cartoon series) by his predecessor and foe Asif Ali Zardari – was presented in the court hours before the visiting Saudi foreign minister said that the high treason trial was Pakistan’s internal matter.
During the proceedings, the court Registrar submitted the report in a sealed envelope that had been signed by Commandant and AIFC Executive Director Registrar Major General SM Imran Majeed. It said Pervez Musharraf’s “coronary angiography is required to optimise the management and to ascertain the possibility of further interventions, like coronary artery bypass surgery.”
It said the former General-President had been suffering from nine diseases: densely calcific Triple Vessel Coronary Artery Disease mainstem disease, hypercholesterolaemia, cervical spondylosis, lumbosacral spondylosis, biceps tendonitis, frozen shoulder (left), osteoarthrosis with effusion (left knee joint), temporomandibular arthralgia (left) and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Tahir Safdar and Justice Yawar Ali, after having the cursory look at the report, said they would examine it and would pass an order on Thursday. The judges’ keeping from saying anything about Musharraf’s appearance apparently means that he has been exempted from personal appearance until the next hearing (Thursday).
Gen Musharraf’s lead counsel Anwar Mansoor completed his arguments on the applicability of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc). He, however, sought time to give arguments on his applications related to jurisdiction of the special court, notification for constitution of the court and the nomination of judges. He rebutted the objections of Prosecutor Akram Sheikh on applicability of CrPc in Criminal Law Amendment (Special Court) Act 1976.
Anwar Mansoor argued that in the Act and Contempt of Court Ordinance there was no concept of arrest though both are the constitutional offences. The court asked the defence counsel what the court would be required to do under the Criminal Law Amendment (Special Court) Act and the contempt law if the accused was issued notice and he defied its order. He stated: “I do not say that if you (court) summon someone, he should not appear before it.”
However, he contended that the court could not ignore the constitutional provisions otherwise it would be a deviation. He said the special court could not act in whimsical and capricious manner and it had to decide the matter in accordance with the law. He said that it was the inalienable right of every citizen to enjoy and be treated in accordance with the law.
He argued that the special court is not a constitutional court but was constituted under the statute. The CrPc per se has not been made applicable to the special law. The special court has to remain within the bounds and parameters of its law under which it was set up. Anwar Mansoor completed his arguments on the applicability of CrPc on Criminal Law and would argue today (Wednesday) on his applications.
Hours after the submission of the medical report in the court hours, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al Faisal told a news conference in the federal capital that he has not come to Pakistan for any sort of deal for the release of Musharraf and the kingdom was not playing any role in this affair. This is the first visit by any top Saudi official to Pakistan since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif came to power in June last year and it comes amid rumours that Saudi and American friends of Musharraf were trying to bail him out.
The medical report presented in the court says General (r) Pervez Musharraf, 70 years of age, was brought to the emergency department of AFIC at 12:15pm on January 2, 2014. The initial physical examination showed that his pulse was 56 beats per minute (sinus bradycardia) and blood pressure 120/80 mmHg, while the examination of cardiovascular and the respiratory systems revealed no abnormality.
There was swelling and tenderness of the left knee joint. ECG revealed sinus bradycardia. The emergency treatment provided to ex-COAS after he was hospitalised in the coronary care unit and emergency treatment was started on the lines of acute coronary syndrome, including suscutaneous injection fondaparinux 2.5 mg daily and daily aspirin, oxygen inhalation and bed rest.
During the course of his illness, his chest uneasiness settled but he complained of neck pain, backache, pain in left knee joint and discomfort in the left temporomandibular joint. He had raised serum total cholesterol (218 mg/dl) and LDL cholesterol (150 mg/dl).