Former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf's plea seeking a stay in proceedings of high treason case against him has been rejected by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, heard a petition filed by the former president.
Earlier, the special court ordered that Musharraf’s statement in the high treason case against him would be recorded through a commission. However, Musharraf challenged the order of the special court in the Islamabad High Court. In his petition, Musharraf termed the steps taken by the special court as alien to Pakistan’s criminal procedure and unprecedented.
During the hearing, Barrister Salman Safdar said his client's status was that of a proclaimed offender in the Article-6 case. Musharraf's attorney said the former president wants to come to Pakistan, but he is suffering from a rare disease.
To this Justice Farooq asked if anyone was barring the former president from returning. If not, then he should get a ticket and come to Pakistan," he said.
Musharraf's attorney replied his client was not returning only because of his ailment.
Justice Farooq directed Musharraf's counsel to assist the court on this point in future as to how this petition is admissible, despite Musharraf being a proclaimed offender.
The court then adjourned the hearing until November 19. It will decide about the admissibility of the petition against constitution of a commission to record Musharraf's statement in the next hearing.
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