Musharraf to stay in hospital, permission to address retired army officers denied
Defense counsels say Musharraf is not expected to be discharged from hospital for now.
RAWALPINDI: (Dunya News) – Defense counsel of former president Pervez Musharraf – who is under treatment at Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) – Ahmed Raza Kasuri says that it’s not up to the former president to decide when to leave the hospital and that he will be discharged upon doctors’ recommendation.
Hospital sources have said that Musharraf is undergoing physiotherapy and doctors are treating his backbone. As per sources, doctors are optimistic and believe that former president’s condition has improved considerably and is making a speedy recovery; however, no decision of discharging him from hospital has been made as yet.
Talking to Dunya News, Kasuri said that he’s been told via telephone that former president is recovering fast but is not expected to be discharged from hospital anytime soon.
Former president was due to relay a speech to a gathering of around two hundred retired army officers on Saturday but the permission of doing so was denied.
Major General (r) Rashid Qureshi, who was in charge of the arrangement had said that a gathering of retired army men was supposed to take place in Lahore on Saturday where former president’s recorded address was to be relayed to around 200 retired army officers.
Musharraf was expected to cover various aspects in his address including developments on his treason trial. Qureshi said that over 150 retired officers had RSVPed for the event thus far and a total turnaround of 200 was expected
This was supposed be the first address of its kind after the retirement of former president.
Earlier Friday, the special court setup to try former president Pervez Musharraf had stated in its order that criminal laws will be applied to the case.
The special court issued judgment over application of criminal laws on the case. The verdict was earlier reserved by the bench.
The hearing of treason case was later adjourned till January 16.
Earlier, the special court ordered the retired general to appear before the bench on January 16. The court stated that the bench will issue further orders if Musharraf fails to appear before the bench.
The bench said the medical report hasn’t stated that Musharraf suffered heart attack, adding that Musharraf had already been granted exemption thrice.
A three-member bench of special court headed by Justice Faisal Arab heard the allegations of treason leveled against former president Pervez Mushrraf on Thursday.
One of the lawyers representing Musharraf, Sharifuddin Pirzada apprised the court about the health condition of Musharraf. Pirzada stated that Musharraf hasn’t completely recovered, adding that it was in violation of constitution to summon an ill person.
