Musharraf goes to hospital instead of court
The special court resumed hearing of treason allegations levelled against Pervez Musharraf.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) –Pervez Musharraf is being taken to AFIC hospital after the former president fell sick on his way to court on Thursday.
According to reports, Musharraf left his farmhouse to appear before the special court. However, the squad rushed him to the AIFC hospital after health of former dictator deteriorated.
A three-member bench of the special court resumed hearing of treason allegations leveled against former president Pervez Musharraf.
During the course of proceedings, one of the lawyers for Musharraf Anwar Mansoor said that he was getting threats for defending Musharraf in treason case. Anwar Mansoor Khan told the court he has been receiving threats and was unable to sleep the night before the hearing.
"I was under total threat... from 1:00 am to five in the morning. Someone was banging on my door and ringing my bell," Khan told the court.
When one of the judges asked who was threatening him, Khan answered: "This very government."
The court promised to investigate but Khan walked out of court, followed by other members of Musharraf s legal team.
"This never happened in my 40 years of practice. I will walk out," Khan said.
Musharraf s lawyers have previously said the treason case is an attempt by the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whom Musharraf ousted in a coup in 1999, to settle old scores through the courts.
Sharifuddin Pirzada, another of Musharraf s lawyers, also complained that he had been threatened.
Khan told the court on Wednesday he had been attacked in his car while travelling to the eastern city of Lahore following an earlier hearing.
Another member from Musharraf’s legal team, advocate Sharifuddin Peerzada said Akram Sheikh threatened him in front of Ibrahim Satti.
Meanwhile, the bench asked the legal team if Musharraf would appear before court on which Shariffudin Peerzada replied, "probably yes."
Musharraf’s lawyer Rana Ijaz said Akram Sheikh has threatened to hurl shoe at Musharraf if he appears in court. He also said that Akram had promised PM Nawaz Sharif that he will ridicule Musharraf during proceedings.
The treason allegations are the latest in a series of criminal cases faced by Musharraf since he returned to Pakistan in a thwarted bid to run in last May s general election.
Strict security measures have been taken to ensure foolproof security after explosives were recovered near Musharraf’s farmhouse.
Meanwhile, the security officials have finalized a route from farmhouse to special court while more than 1500 rangers and police personnel have been deployed on the route.
The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) is also present on the Park Road opposite to farmhouse.
According to reports, box security will be provided to Musharraf while the route was sealed for all kinds of traffic.
Musharraf is the first former army chief to go on trial in Pakistan, setting up a potentially destabilising clash between the government -- which brought the charges -- and the all-powerful military.
On Sunday the retired general denounced the treason case as a "vendetta" against him and claimed he had the backing of the military.
