KARACHI: Former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf was admitted on Monday to a hospital in Dubai after he developed “heart- and blood pressure-related” complications, his party sources confirmed.

Earlier in the day television channels showed footage of the former president being taken to the Dubai American Hospital on a stretcher, citing “emergency treatment requirement” which was later confirmed by sources in his All Pakistan Muslim League.

“He has some serious health issues and lately had been complaining of some pain in the chest, and anxiety,” said the party’s spokesman.

“The doctors visited him at his place of stay and recommended immediate admission to avoid any further complications. The former president has undergone a few tests which will help determine the state of his health,” he said.

Party sources say ex-military ruler suffering from ‘heart- and blood pressure-related’ complications

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) last week set aside an order of the special court that a final verdict in Gen Musharraf’s high treason case would be announced on Nov 28, giving another opportunity to the former army chief for his defence and to the federal government to address loopholes, if any, in the prosecution.

However, the IHC full bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani wanted the special court to decide the case expeditiously as it directed the government to notify a prosecution team by Dec 5.

The full bench gave these directives after hearing a petition filed by the interior ministry, which is a complainant in the case against Mr Musharraf.

In its Nov 19 order, the three-judge special court, headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth, had reserved a verdict in the high treason trial and said it would be announced on Nov 28.

The interior ministry, in its petition filed before the IHC’s full bench, claimed that the complaint against Mr Musharraf had not been filed through an authorised person and the special court had not been properly formed.

According to the ministry’s petition, the prosecution team was removed after loopholes had been identified in the case, yet they submitted written arguments to the court without the ministry’s authorisation.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2019