SHC allows Musharraf to travel abroad

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) today ordered removal of former president Pervez Musharraf’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL), ARY News reported.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Shahnawaz Tariq of the SHC announced the decision on a plea of former president. The court, however, said the former president could not leave country for 15 days. The court gave government, the complainant, 15 days to file complaint against the decision before the Supreme Court. The SHC had reserved a verdict on plea of former president Pervez Musharraf on May 29.

Musharraf had filed an appeal in the SHC seeking removal of travel ban to see his ailing mother in Dubai and get treatment abroad. The federal government, however, had rejected his plea, saying he was facing treason charges.

Talking to ARY News, Musharraf’s lawyer Barrister Farogh Naseem said it is a big decision. “Our judiciary is independent. Judges announced the verdict without any fear,” he added. Naseem cited judges as asking Musharraf that he could go wherever he wanted to go.

To a query regarding decision to be challenged by the federal government, he said there was an equal possibility that court allowed 15 to 30 days to complainant to challenge the decision in order to maintain partiality of the decision.

Naseem reiterated that merit of the decision was balanced.

The Attorney General (AG) Afzal Suleman had told the court that allowing Musharraf to leave country was highly risky. “His chances to return in the country are too low.

He said Musharraf was indicted in treason case and court now could not grant him any concession.

Musharraf’s counsel Barrister Farogh Naseem, while talking to media, had cited the AG as saying that the case was a political one. Mr. Naseem said all proceedings against Musharraf be declared void.

On May 29 proceedings, Naseem said AG accepted in the court that case against Musharraf was political crime.

“If AG is admitting the case is political one, then the case no longer stands valid and it should now be disposed of.”

He said as per medical reports the treatment of Mr. Musharraf was not possible in Pakistan. The former president had bone fracture which requires treatment abroad, he added.