QUETTA: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court on Tuesday upheld the order of the Anti-Terrorism Court, Quetta rejecting the application of former President Gen Pervez Musharraf for exemption from personal appearance at a trial court in the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case.

While announcing the judgment on Tuesday, the bench, comprising Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mulakhel, directed the government to ensure safety of the former chief of the army staff when he was taken to and from court to appear in the court.

The judgement said that the impugned order did not suffer from any illegality and if exemption from personal appearance was sought, such an application would be considered by the trial court in terms of section 540-A code, but after the charge was answered personally by Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The bench noted that the case against the accused could not commence because Gen Musharraf never once appeared in the trial court.

The Anti-Terrorism Court, Quetta, had dismissed the application of Gen Musharraf seeking exemption from personal appearance at the court.