Former army chief and President Pervez Musharraf on Monday sought exemption from appearing before a Special Court trying him under Article 6 on medical ground. A three-member Special Court led by Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel is scheduled to resume hearing of the matter on April 19 (today) in response to federation's complaint seeking initiating high treason case against Musharraf for imposing emergency rule on November 3, 2007 in the country.
Ahmed Raza Kasuri, the counsel for Musharraf, filed an application saying that his client is abroad for medical treatment - surgical management - so he is unable to furnish appearance before the Special Court for proceedings on Tuesday (today). Kasuri said that non-appearance of the applicant/respondent is un- intentional due to unavoidable medical condition so that Musharraf may kindly be dispensed from appearance before Special Court on April 19.
Seeking adjournment in the instant matter for 14 weeks, Kasuri submitted that Musharraf's health condition became extremely serious during the last week of February (24th and 25th) of 2016. He was re-admitted to PNS Shifa Hospital after he fell down, while going to the bathroom.
"The doctors after conducting various tests advised the respondent to get his surgery to avoid any serious complications - Since the prescribed treatment could not be facilitated in Pakistan in absence of the requisite techniques and equipment - the respondent needed to proceed out of country for the surgical management," Kasuri said. "In pursuance to the medical advice the respondent filed application before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, seeking permission to go abroad - The Hon'ble Supreme Court of Pakistan vide a short order dated 16-03-2016 graciously upheld the order of the Hon'ble Sindh high Court whereby the respondent's name was removed from the ECL," Kasuri submitted.
He further said that after getting permission from the Supreme Court and with the consent of the complainant interior ministry, the respondent's name was removed from the ECL and he proceeded abroad for his medical treatment, where he consulted his doctors.