Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday rejected the request of General (r) Pervez Musharraf for temporary exemption from court appearances and termed his medical report “fake”.

Maintaining the non-bailable arrest warrants of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, ATC Judge Sohail Akram, while hearing the judges’ detention case, directed the Islamabad inspector general of police (IGP) to seek information regarding residence and whereabouts of the accused.

During the course of hearing, prosecutor Amir Nadim Tabish informed the court that the arrest warrants could not be complied as he (Musharraf) had gone abroad.

Advocate Akhtar Shah, Musharraf’s counsel contended that the federal government can better explain as to why Musharraf was allowed to go abroad despite ongoing litigation against him. He said that his client consulted him via telephone and assigned him as his counsel, adding if the medical team allows him to travel and government ensures security, then he is ready to appear before the court.

However, the court expressed displeasure over the “forged” medical report submitted before it. The court observed that Musharraf went abroad in March while the medical report was compiled in April. “The accused has ridiculed the judiciary and flew abroad without permission from any of the courts,” the court remarked. The court while maintaining non-bailable arrest warrants of Musharraf adjourned the case until May 20.