ISLAMABAD: The special anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted exemption to the former military leader Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf on medical grounds from appearing before the court in today’s hearing of the Judges’ detention case, DawnNews reported.

The capital’s ATC judge Atiqur Rahman headed the Judges’ detention case, in which Musharraf’s guarantor appeared in the court.

Also, attorney for Musharraf, Ilyas Siddiqui presented the medical report in which it was mentioned that the former president could not attend the hearing due to his heart ailment.

Subsequently, the court while giving exemption to Musharraf for today, adjourned the case hearing to Feb 10.

The case was registered against Musharraf on August 11, 2009 on the complaint of a local advocate Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman for confining over 60 judges of the superior courts after imposing an emergency on November 3, 2007. However, Ghumman had later announced that he would not pursue the case ‘in the larger public interest’.

Moreover, he told Dawn that he had announced not to pursue his case in the ‘national interest’.

“It is up to the State and the court whether they wanted to keep this case alive,” he added.

Interestingly, the announcement to withdraw the case by lone complainant Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman did not give any relief to the former military ruler.

On Jan 17, the ATC had ordered Gen Musharraf to personally appear before it on the hearing of Jan 27.

The special judge ATC also directed the interior ministry as well as the guarantors of Gen Musharraf to appear before the court on the day.

Also, in its order, the court noted that Musharraf repeatedly remained absent from the proceedings.