ISLAMABAD – Former president Pervez Musharraf has broken silence over theissue of the treason trial.
He on Monday sought presidential-level security to appear before a specialcourt hearing treason case against him.
As a two-member special court took up the high treason case against formermilitary ruler, his lawyer Akhtar Shah told the court that his clientwanted to appear before court but on assurances that he would be givenpresidential security by the Defence Ministry.
“Musharraf’s life is in danger. There had been two attempts on his life:once in the Islamabad court and the other in Quetta during the Akbar Bugticase hearing, Akhtar Shah contended.
At this, Justice Nazar Akbar said: “There is a non-bailable warrant outagainst Musharraf, so to provide him security is the government’sresponsibility.”
The former president is facing high treason charges for suspending theconstitution on Nov 3, 2007 – an offence for which he was indicted by thespecial court on March 31, 2014. That same year, the state prosecution laiddown all its evidence but the progress in the case slowed down due to theformer military ruler having filed multiple petitions against his trial atthe appellate forum.
In March 2016, he left the country for Dubai to “seek medical treatment”and hasn’t returned since.