‘It’s good for Musharraf to return home to face trial’
It would be “good” for Pervez Musharraf if he returns to Pakistan to face the high treason trial, the Islamabad High Court has observed as it directed his lawyer to submit the former military dictator’s travel itinerary at the next hearing.
General Musharraf, 75, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, is facing the treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007. The former military ruler left for Dubai in March 2016 for medical treatment and has not returned since.
The former Army chief has been declared an absconder due to his persistent failure to appear before a special trial court set up to try him in the case. A two-judge division bench heard the petition filed by Musharraf against the constitution of a judicial commission for recording his statement.
Resumption of hearing
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) division bench, which resumed hearing of the case on Monday, told the counsel to visit Musharraf and convince him to face the trial and bring the former leader back if possible, Dawn newspaper reported
“It would be good for General Musharraf if he comes back and faces trial,” the bench said. It directed the counsel to consult him and submit his travel itinerary at the next hearing.
Irked by Musharraf’s failure to come back to Pakistan and face ongoing cases against him, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Saqib Nisar, had warned last month that if the “courageous commando” did not appear soon, he may be forced to return in a disgraceful manner.