Musharraf granted bail in judges’ detention case

Published June 11, 2013
Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.—File Photo
Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.—File Photo

ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday granted bail to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in the judges’ detention case.

The former army strongman was directed to deposit surety bonds worth rupees 500,000.

The case was registered against Musharraf on August 11, 2009 on the complaint of a local advocate Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman for confining over 60 judges of the superior courts after imposing an emergency on November 3, 2007. However, Ghumman had later announced that he would not pursue the case ‘in the larger public interest’.

Moreover, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta today rejected Musharraf's bail application in the Akbar Bugti murder case.

Quetta ATC judge Mohammad Ismail Baloch also rejected Musharraf’s plea to shift the case before the ATC in Islamabad.

“Pervez Musharraf was repeatedly asked to appear before the court of law, but he failed to do so”, Sohail Rajput, Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti's lawyer, told media representatives.

He said Musharraf was the prime accused in Bugti's murder case and different courts had already issued his non-bail arrest warrants in this regard. Rajput added that Musharraf’s bail application was rejected because he did not appear in person before the court.

Earlier on Monday, Musharraf's lawyer, Muhammad Ilyas, had submitted an application before ATC judge seeking bail in Nawab Bugti's case. The court had reserved its judgment on the bail application.

Nawabzada Jamil Bugti,a son of Akbar Bugti, had nominated Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, former interior minister Aftab Sherpao, former governor Balochistan Owais Ahmed Ghani in his father's murder.

Balochistan High Court and other subordinate courts have already issued non-bailable arrest warrants of Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz.

Bugti was killed in a cave in Chalgri area of Bhamboor hills of Dera Bugti district on August 26, 2006 during a military crackdown ordered by Musharraf who was president and army chief at the time.

In related news, Musharraf was exempted from appearing before an ATC in Rawalpindi in the Benazir Bhutto murder case.

Benazir was killed in a gun-and-bomb attack in Rawalpindi in December 2007.

Opinion

Who bears the cost?

Who bears the cost?

This small window of low inflation should compel a rethink of how the authorities and employers understand the average household’s

Editorial

Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

JUST how much longer does the government plan on throttling the internet is a question up in the air right now....
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...
Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...