ISLAMABAD - Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday issued notice to former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf in a writ petition seeking registration of second FIR against him and former DG Intelligence Bureau (IB) Ejaz Shah in the matter of a suicide blast at the entrance of District Courts, F-8 Markaz, in July 2007.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui issued these notices in the writ petition of a former protocol officer of Benazir Bhutto who was seeking court’s directions to register a second FIR against both the former president and ex-DG IB for their alleged role in the suicide blast at the main gate of District Courts Islamabad before the reception being organised in honour of then deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.
It is pertinent to mention here that at least 14 people were killed and 45 others sustained injuries in a suicide blast in July 2007 before the address of then deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary to a reception at F-8 Markaz. Most of the people killed in the blast belonged to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
After the incident, six accused were arrested in this connection but later, Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi directed to release them due to lack of ample evidence against them. Then Benazir Bhutto’s former protocol officer Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam moved an application before the additional district and sessions judge of Islamabad seeking a registration of second FIR in this matter against Musharraf and Ejaz Shah. However, the judge turned down the application and an appeal against the decision has been pending before the IHC for adjudication.
The counsel for the petitioner contended before the court that his client’s petition was rejected since Musharraf was not present in the country and the notices could not have been served on him. He continued that since the former president has been under the judicial custody at present at his farmhouse sub-jail, therefore, the court could issue him notices and could direct him to submit his reply in this regard.
The petitioner has alleged before the court that the nominated accused in his petition were perpetrators of the suicide attack and the former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also cooperated with them.
Later, the court issued notices to Musharraf and adjourned the hearing of the petition with date in office.