LHC hears Musharraf's challenge to special court's decision

LAHORE: A bench of Lahore High Court on Monday heard former president Pervez Musharraf’s petition challenging the special court’s decision to reserve its verdict of high treason case against him, ARY News reported on Monday.

A high court bench comprising of Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi directed the counsel of former president to present more arguments on maintainability of the petition on Tuesday (tomorrow).

Musharraf in his petition said that the special court has reserved the judgment of the case on November 19 without hearing his stance.

The former president has made the federal government, Federal Ministry of Law and Justice, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Registrar Special Court parties in his petition.

“I am ailing and staying in foreign country for medical treatment,” he said.

“I could not be able to present my stance in the special court due to my illness,” he further said.

The former president pleaded to the court for revision of the case as per the judgments of the Supreme Court and suspension of the special court’s decision about reserving the verdict in the high treason case against him.

Musharraf also sought the court order for postponement of the hearing of the case till he recovers to health.

He also sought the court to issue an order for constitution of an impartial medical board for him.

Special Court had reserved its verdict of high treason case against the former president, which is scheduled to be announced on November 28.

Former president Pervez Musharraf failed to appear before the court during the hearing of the case after going to Dubai for medical treatment in 2016.

The hearing of the case was conducted by a three-member bench presided over by Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth.

Musharraf’s lawyer Raza Bashir did not show up before the court in the hearing as he was in Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah.

During the hearing, the court had remarked that Musharraf’s lawyers can submit their written arguments regarding the case till November 26.

He was booked in the treason case in December 2013 and was indicted for high treason by a special court in March 2014, but he left for Dubai in 2016 to “seek medical treatment” and has not returned since.