QUETTA: An anti-terrorism court granted on Wednesday former dictator Pervez Musharraf a day’s exemption from appearing before in the Akbar Bugti murder case.

Judge Aftab Ahmed Lone expressed dismay over delay in formation of a medical board for examining the main accused in the case and ordered director general of the provincial health department to take up the matter with the government and do the needful.

Director General Health Farooq Azam submitted that he had written to the health secretary for setting up the medical board and requested the court to give more time to complete the process.

Sohail Rajput, counsel for Akbar Bugti’s son Jamil Bugti, said retired general Musharraf was fit enough to travel as he had sought permission from the interior ministry to visit Riyadh to offer condolences on the death of Saudi King Abdullah, but he had been deliberately avoiding to appear before the court.

Mr Musharraf’s counsel Akhtar Shah submitted that his client respected the court, but the medical board was yet to be constituted. Besides, he added, security clearance was required for him to travel to Quetta.

The other accused in the case, former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao and former provincial home minister Mir Shoiab Nausherwani, were present in the court.

The judge adjourned the hearing till Feb 25.

Akbar Bugti was killed in the mountains of Dera Bugti on Aug 26, 2006.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2015

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