ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former military dictator Pervez Musharraf has refused to appear before the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) team conducting an inquiry into his actions on November 3, 2007, carrying out a controversial counter coup against his own government.
He has claimed illness as the reason behind the refusal and sought new dates after November 20, sources said.
The FIA team was scheduled to investigate Musharraf last week at his barricaded farmhouse in Islamabad but they received a letter from retired colonel Ilyas Ahmed, a staff officer of the ex-president, seeking a new date for the investigations.
The Supreme Court in its order issued on July 31, 2009 had declared the November 3, 2007 order of the then army chief General Pervez Musharraf as an unconstitutional act which “amounts to high treason.”
Following the orders of the higher judiciary, the present government had formed a committee to investigate the November 3, 2007 actions of the then president and army chief headed by Khalid Qureshi, FIA Additional Director General, and head of Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW).
The committee is silently working since its inception in the last week of June this year.
According to Ilyas, Musharraf is suffering from allergic rhinitis and mild fever.
Allergic rhinitis is an allergic inflammation of the nasal airways. It occurs when an allergen, such as pollen, dust or animal dander (particles of shed skin and hair) is inhaled by an individual with a sensitised immune system.
The sources claim that FIA has also refused to accept the plea of Musharraf for not appearing before the inquiry committee on November 12 and has written a letter telling him that he cannot avoid such a sensitive inquiry unilaterally.
The sources claimed that FIA has also advised Musharraf in its letter to submit a formal legal medical certificate for failing to appear on November 12 before the inquiry team. According to sources, the FIA will consider new dates for formally investigating Musharraf after receiving his medical certificate.
Meanwhile, the FIA has also written another letter to the Interior Ministry not to remove the name of Pervez Musharraf from the Exit Control List (ECL), saying that the former president is wanted by the FIA in the high treason case and his name must not be removed until the inquiry is completed.
The sources claimed that the FIA move was initiated soon after Musharraf moved a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) seeking removal of his name from the ECL.
Internews
