QUETTA: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on Monday failed to appear before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta in a case relating to the murder of elderly Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, despite the court's orders.

Strict security measures were adopted by the administration to avert any untoward incident during today's hearing.

Nazeer Ahmed Cheema, counsel for the former president, informed the court that his client could not appear before the court owing to his illness.

He also requested the court to hold a separate hearing of the case for the former president.

Meanwhile, two guarantors of the former military dictator — former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and former Home Minister Balochistan Shoaib Nowsherwani — appeared before the court today.

Judge of ATC-1 Nazeer Ahmed Langove subsequently adjourned the hearing of the case until October 13.

Also read: Baloch nationalists to stage protest on Bugti’s death anniversary

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Advocate Sohail Rajput, lawyer of Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti — who is the son of the late Nawab Akbar Bugti — said that despite repeated orders of the honourable court, the former military dictator had failed to make an appearance.

He said the court had clearly ordered that Musharraf must appear before it but the latter is yet to be produced.

Nawab Akbar Bugti was killed in an operation in Balochistan's Kohlu district. Bugti's murder had sparked violent protests in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan and life had remained paralysed for more than a week.

Nawab Bugti's son Jamil Akbar Bugti had nominated Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz and other high-ups in the murder case of his father.