ISLAMABAD, JUNE 12 (DNA) – A special court on Wednesday said that former president Pervez Musharraf’s plea to dismiss the case could not be considered.A three-member bench headed by Justice Tahira Safdar, hearing treason case against former military ruler.The court also rejected a plea to postpone the hearing against Musharraf due to health reasons.
The bench said that the trial has started and it could not be halted due to the illness or absence of the accused.
Musharraf’s counsel Salman Safdar told the court that his client could not travel to Pakistan due to his precarious health condition, and once again requested the court to adjourn the hearing and give him another chance to appear before the court.
“Pervez Musharraf is fighting for his life, and is not physically and mentally fit to travel to Pakistan.
The former president’s weight is reducing rapidly and he is on wheelchair. He is undergoing chemotherapy and his health is gradually deteriorating.
“He feels ashamed and apologetic for requesting adjournment on every hearing. However, the court stopped Musharraf’s lawyer Barrister Salman from giving arguments in the case. The bench said that the court has forbid the lawyer as per the ruling of the Supreme Court.
The court also directed the Ministry of Interior to appoint a lawyer or a team of lawyers for defence of the former military ruler. The court adjourned the hearing till June 27. Earlier, the prosecution opposed a plea of Pervez Musharraf to dismiss the case.
The defence counsel pleaded to the court that the health of former president Musharraf has deteriorated and sought an opportunity from the bench for his client to appear before the court. He said the defendant was not in a position to give instructions about the case.
Prosecution counsel said that the defence counsel himself has no direct information, neither we have any source to confirm about his health. “We have completed our arguments,” prosecution counsel said.
The court in a previous hearing issued notice to the prosecution over a plea of the defendant to dismiss the case.
The prosecution counsel argued before the court that the Supreme Court had ruled earlier that the former president will be deprived of his right to defend if he would not appear in the trial court on May 2 hearing.
Prosecution lawyer pleaded to the bench for rejection of Musharraf’s petition. Pprosecution called the bench to annul the right of defence of the accused.
“The hearing could not be adjourned over ill health under section 9,” the counsel argued. “Can you challenge diseases described in the medical certificate,” the bench asked the counsel.
“How can I challenge if medical certificate is attached,” prosecution lawyer said.
Musharraf was indicted in a case for suspending the Constitution by proclamation of emergency on Nov 3, 2007. He left for Dubai in 2016 to seek medical treatment and hasn’t returned since. = DNA
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