ISLAMABAD: A special court seized with the high treason case against retired General Pervez Musharraf issued a show-cause notice on Tuesday to the joint secretary of interior ministry over his failure to submit details of properties owned by the former president.

The three-judge bench comprising Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar and Justice Mohammad Yawar Ali had ordered the prosecution on May 5 to submit details of properties of Gen Musharraf.

On Tuesday when the special court resumed the proceedings, the prosecution informed it that the court order had been conveyed to the ministry at proper time.

But when the joint secretary of the ministry, Dilshad Ahmed Babar, was asked about the details of the properties, he requested the court to give him more time to do the needful.

The court expressed annoyance over the lethargic attitude of Mr Babar and said that since he had assumed the charge of his post on May 25, he had sufficient time to comply with the court order.

Justice Miankhel said: “When the ministry, which is the complainant of the case, itself is reluctant to comply with the orders of this court and when the joint secretary, admittedly, himself is responsible not only in this regard but also for wasting precious time of the court, this court is left with no option but to put the joint secretary on notice.”

In the show-cause notice, the court has directed Mr Babar to explain his position as to why proceedings should not be initiated against him under Section 6(2) of the Criminal Law Amendment (Special Court), Act.

Under the provision of the law, the court may initiate contempt proceedings against the official if it finds his response unsatisfactory.

The court directed Mr Babar to submit reply in seven days and warned that “failing which, the law shall take its own course.”

Giving last opportunity to the prosecution and the ministry, it directed them to “submit a list of all properties, movable and immovable, belonging to the accused on or before the date fixed for next hearing, failing which no leniency would be shown.”

The court also raised a question for the lawyers of retired Gen Musharraf as to whether they could represent the former military ruler despite the fact that he had become a fugitive of law.

The court will take up the matter again on July 19.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2016