ISLAMABAD: The additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ), hearing the murder case of Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi, has been replaced.

When the complainant’s lawyer turned up in the court on Saturday he was surprised to see the case being fixed before ADSJ Kamran Basharat Mufti. Since 2013, ADSJ Wajid Ali had been hearing the murder case.

The change, however, disturbed Tariq Asad, counsel for the slain cleric’s son Haroon Rashid, who is the complainant.

Expressing astonishment, advocate Asad said the change had been made at a time when the court was about to decide the application filed by former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf seeking permanent exemption from appearance in the court.

Gen Musharraf was nominated as an accused in the FIR registered in the murder case with Aabpara police station in September 2013.

The counsel claimed that ever since the proceedings commenced in this case, Gen Musharraf had been exempted from personal attendance over 30 times. He said ADSJ Ali had also issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Gen Musharraf.

“Though I have complete confidence in the court but the change of judge is something which I could not digest,” said Asad.

ADSJ Mufti on the other hand remarked that the counsel should not be surprised over this change as posting and transfer is a routine matter.

Musharraf’s counsel Malik Tahir contended before the court that he had to repeat arguments in the matter related to exemption of his client.

The judge assured the lawyer that the matter would be heard in detail and all the parties would be given equal chance. Further hearing in this case has been adjourned till June 18.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2015

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