ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: After the retirement of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as chief justice of the Supreme Court, former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf appears to be in a mood to hit back at his opponents by instituting cases against them. He has lodged a complaint against Jamhoori Watan Party president Talal Bugti for announcing a bounty on his head.

Talal Bugti, son of late nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, had two months ago announced the bounty of Rs1 billion and 100 acres of farmland.

The complaint has been lodged with the federal interior secretary by Gen Musharraf’s lawyer Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif. It called for initiating a criminal case against Talal Bugti.

Barrister Saif said that by offering the huge amount as bounty “he (Talal Bugti) invited personnel of the Pakistan Army to assassinate my client who has served as Chief of the Army Staff”. He said it was illegal and unlawful and a serious violation of the right to security of life of “my client under the constitution and also constitutes a criminal offence under the Pakistan Panel Code”.

“This act also amounts to an attempt to foment rebellion and mutiny in the army which itself is an offence under the relevant legislation,” he added.

The complaint says that government departments, including police and other law-enforcement agencies which are legally obliged to take action in response to such criminal act/announcement, have not only remained oblivious to this grave situation but have so far failed to initiate the required legal proceedings.