Govt wrote letter to block Musharraf's NIC, passport few months prior: sources
Sources further stressed that no letter was written in the past day
June 01, 2018
ISLAMABAD: A letter by the Ministry of Interior Affairs requesting the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to block the national identity card (NIC) of former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf said to be written Thursday was, in fact, penned a few months prior, sources informed Geo News.
The letter had called for Musharraf’s passport to stand invalid once his identity card was blocked, barring him from travelling anywhere, sources mentioned, adding that the former president’s bank accounts in Pakistan would be frozen as well.
According to the sources, the interior ministry's request in the letter to the NADRA was based on the directives from a special court, which had given the orders in light of the treason case against the former military ruler.
The government had retracted the letter earlier after assurances that Musharraf would return to the country, sources said, stressing further that no letter was written in the past day.
Officials at the NADRA said they had received reports of a letter that was written to them but had not received it yet.
Recently, a special court ordered the federal government to take measures for Musharaff’s arrest and, consequently, block his NIC and passport.
The interior ministry had given a week to Musharraf, warning him that his NIC and passport would be blocked if he did not surrender within a week.
Treason case
The former army chief was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges.
On March 18, 2016, the former president travelled to Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) over the Supreme Court's orders.
A few months later, the special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show.
