ISLAMABAD: A local court on Tuesday issued bailable arrest warrants for the former president retired General Pervez Musharraf, ordering his appearance in Abdul Rashid Ghazi murder case on April 2.

Additional district and sessions judge Wajid Ali issued the order after dismissing applications seeking his exemption from appearance and acquittal in the murder case.

The police had registered an FIR in September 2013 against Gen Musharraf for allegedly killing Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi and his mother in Lal Masjid operation.

The FIR was registered on the complaint of Ghazi’s son Haroon Rashid under sections 302 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code. It stated that Gen Musharraf had ordered Lal Masjid operation in which Abdul Rashid Ghazi and his mother were killed along with scores of others.

In October 2013, the police in a challan submitted to the sessions court declared Gen Musharraf innocent and left him at the mercy of the court.

Advocate Akhtar Shah, counsel for Gen Musharraf, told Dawn that his client had already been declared innocent in the murder case and they would challenge the arrest warrants in the Islamabad High Court. He said the absence of Gen Musharraf was not deliberate but on medical grounds as doctors had advised him against traveling. “He is under treatment of the doctors in Karachi,” he added.

Besides, the former military ruler faces threat to his life as during his tenure as president of the country he survived terrorist attacks, said Mr Shah.

Published in Dawn March 11th , 2015

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