Court orders to freeze Musharraf's accounts, assets in high treason case
The court turned down suggestion to record Musharraf's statement through Skype
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Special court has ordered to seize bank accounts and assets of former president Pervez Musharraf and adjourned the hearing until his arrest or surrender, reported Tuesday.
Three-member special court bench headed by Justice Mian Mazhar Alam heard the high treason case against the former president and army chief for imposition of emergency in 2007 on November 3.
Interior Ministry filed report regarding details of Musharraf’s assets which was compiled on basis of the information gathered through Federal Board of Revenue and Election Commission of Pakistan. However, it is said that the election commission does not have details of his assets.
The report shows that the former president owns 170 Tola gold among other properties.
Prosecution representative, Akram Sheikh said that the court could punish Musharraf as a proclaimed offender and seize his assets.
Supreme Court had ordered to hold trial on daily basis and the defending ex-president left the country on third day after the Supreme Court’s order.
Justice Alam remarked that court has declared Musharraf a proclaimed offender and now it is time to seize his assets. It is also a matter of his absence now, he said and asked the prosecutor if he wanted the court to continue the trial in Musharraf’s absence.
The prosecution suggested seizing his assets and punishing him for standing a proclaimed offender.
The side further argued that Musharraf neither was admitted to a hospital after fleeing the country nor even took a pill of Disprin tablet.
The court was suggested to record Musharraf’s statement through Skype.
Justice Yaro Ali said that Interior Secretary is the party in the case and he permitted the former president to leave the country. Before the court, Sheikh dubbed sabotaging the Constitution an even bigger crime than terrorism.
However, Justice Alam said that the court understands its responsibilities in the light of the law.
Alleged criminal’s surety bonds have been seized, he said. Justice Yaro said that under Article 189, every institution of the country is bound to comply with the order of the Supreme Court but it does not apply on the special court.
Justice Alam intervened again saying that the trial could not proceed in absence of the defense and it would not be appropriate to record his statement on Skype.
The court ordered seizure of Musharraf’s assets and bank accounts and on the other hand, counsel for the defense, Faisal Chaudhry alleged that the Interior Ministry mislead the court about his client’s assets.
The defense would file an objection against the seizure of Musharraf’s accounts and assets to which Justice Alam replied that a written plea would be appropriate.
In March 2014, Musharraf was formally charged with treason for imposing emergency Provisional Constitutional Order while in May this year, he was declared a proclaimed offender.
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