ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court yesterday said former military ruler Pervez Musharraf must appear at a hearing in December over a cleric’s death during a bloody mosque siege, rejecting his fears over security.
Musharraf faces a string of court cases dating back to his 1999-2008 rule, including over the death of radical cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi, one of more than 100 people killed after Pakistani troops stormed the Red Mosque in Islamabad on July 10, 2007.
The mosque was the scene of a week-long military siege against radicals that unleashed Islamist attacks across Pakistan.
Musharraf’s legal team has fought to avoid a court appearance over the case being pursued by Ghazi’s family, citing ill health — he has been receiving treatment for heart problems — and security fears.
The former president narrowly escaped an apparent assassination attempt in Islamabad in April as a roadside bomb went off shortly before his convoy was due to pass.
“The court has rejected the exemption plea of General Pervez Musharraf in the case regarding killing of Abdul Rashid Ghazi and ordered him to appear on the next hearing of December 6,” Abdul Haq Malik, the lawyer representing the cleric’s son Haron-ur-Rashid Ghazi, said.
Musharraf’s lawyer said the former leader had not been satisfied with the security arrangements for the hearing, adding that the court has now ordered police to provide details for the ex-army chief’s appearance in the court.
“We had requested the court to exempt General Musharraf for appearance in the court on medical grounds and security fears, because Islamabad’s police have not responded to our request about security arrangements,” said Musharraf’s lawyer Akhtar Shah.
“The judge rejected our plea but also ordered police to provide security details.”AFP
