Ghazi murder case: Court rejects Musharraf’s exemption plea
ISLAMABAD: A local court in Islamabad resumed hearing the murder case of former prayer leader of Lal Masjid, Abdul Rasheed Ghazi and rejected the exemption plea filed by the accused in the case...
May 22, 2014
On May 3, the court had summoned former president and accused in the case in today’s hearing and had granted exemption in the last hearing.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Wajid Ali resumed the proceedings where the court dismissed the exemption plea and summoned the two guarantors of Pervez Musharraf on June 12.
Judge Wajid Ali had already rejected Musharraf’s petition seeking permanent exemption in the Ghazi murder case during the last hearing and had summoned him for today. However, he did not appear in today’s proceedings as well.
During May 3 proceedings, Musharraf’s lawyer Major (retd) Akhtar Shah appeared in the court and submitted three applications on behalf of his client that included seeking acquittal in the Ghazi murder case, exemption from May 3 hearing and permanent exemption from appearing in the court.
Akhtar Shah argued that it is the prosecution’s responsibility to ensure Pervez Musharraf’s appearance in the court as his client was willing to face the charges against him.
The applicant will be responsible if anything happened to Musharraf, Shah said.
The applicant’s lawyer Abdul Haq Malik argued that every time the counsel states the same reason for Musharraf’s absence that his client has security threats and he is unwell. He pleaded the court to summon Pervez Musharraf or his guarantors in case of non-compliance.
The court, then, granted Musharraf exemption from May 3 hearing and issued notices to the concerned parties on his applications regarding permanent exemption from the proceedings and acquittal from the murder charges.
Judge Wajid Ali remarked that the accused was granted exemption as he was not present in the city, however, no excuse will be accepted on next hearing and ordered the relevant authorities to ensure his presence on May 22. Following the order, the court adjourned the hearing.
