QUETTA: An anti-terrorism court has asked the Sindh government to provide security to former president Pervez Musharraf for his check-up by a medical board to ensure his appearance in hearing of the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case.

Judge Aftab Ahmed Lone granted exemption for Wednesday to Mr Musharraf, an accused in the case, from appearance before the court on an application by his counsel.

The director general, health, submitted a letter pertaining to the formation of the medical board to examine the condition of the former military ruler.

Co-accused former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao and former home minister Mir Shoaib Nausherwani were present in the court.

Mr Musharraf’s counsel through a application sought permanent exemption for the applicant from appearance before the court because of his health condition.

The counsel also sought time to prepare for arguments in the case.

The counsel for Mr Sherpao and Mr Nausherwani filed applications seeking their acquittal, submitting that they were not involved in the killing of Nawab Bugti.

The counsel for Nawabzada Jamil, son of Nawab Bugti, opposed the applications of Mr Musharraf for exemption from appearance and pleaded that the health of the accused was stable and he was avoiding appearing before the court to prolong the proceedings.

He also opposed the applications for acquittal of the co-accused, saying the proceedings were at an initial stage and the investigations against them were yet to be completed.

Mr Jamil has also nominated in the FIR former prime minister Shuakat Aziz, former governor Owais Ahmed Ghani and former district coordination officer of Dera Bugti Abdul Samad Lasi.

Nawab Bugti was killed in firing by security personnel in the mountains of Dera Bugti on Aug 26, 2006.

The hearing was adjourned till March 17.

Published in Dawn February 26th , 2015

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