'Musharraf may appear': Lawyer wants treason case fixed on May 13

ISLAMABAD: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s lawyer requested the special court hearing a treason case against his client to fix the next hearing of the case for May 13 when he might turn up before it.

The court, however, turned down his request and adjourned the hearing until May 2 instead. It handed the counsel a questionnaire to prepare a reply until the next hearing.

The lawyer stated that Musharraf may appear in the court on May 13 and pleaded that the case be put off until then.

“We are giving you a questionnaire to prepare its reply,” said Justice Tahira Safdar, one of the three judges hearing the case.

If Musharraf turns up on May 2, his statement would be recorded, the court ruled, warning upon failure, legal action would be taken against him.

The counsel contended his client might appear on May 13 after his chemotherapy, adding the disease the former president is suffering from is a rare kind as one in hundreds of thousands of people is diagnosed with this disease.

The court asked the lawyer why his client can’t turn up a week before the desired date.

Justice Safdar said she couldn’t fix the case for May 13 as it would be difficult for judges to travel to Islamabad from different cities in the fasting month of Ramzan.

Meanwhile, the lawyer withdrew an application seeking to quash the high treason case against the former military ruler after the judges refused to accept it and asked him to submit the same in the registrar’s office.

If the application is filed following legal procedure, they said, the court will entertain it.