Pak court seeks Interior Ministry's comments on Musharraf's red warrants

A District and Sessions court in Pakistan has sought comments from the Interior Ministry regarding the issuance of red warrants against former president General (Retd.) Pervez Musharraf in the Abdul Rasheed Ghazi murder case.

The court also dismissed the application filed by Musharraf's counsel vis-a-vis provision of security to the former president and recalling the court order in which the former president was declared an absconder in the murder case of Lal Masjid's cleric, reports the Daily Times.

The court on Wednesday resumed the hearing on an application filed by Haroon Rasheed seeking directives for the Interior Ministry to issue red warrants for Musharraf's arrest and his subsequent extradition to Pakistan through Interpol.

During the hearing, Advocate Tariq Asad argued that Musharraf's counsel should make public the estimated time of the arrival of his client so that the court's time might not be wasted and the case could be led to its logical end.

In response, Musharraf's counsel Akhtar Shah told the court that Musharraf would be back in the country within five or six weeks but his return is linked to the advice of his physicians and the security conditions.

Shah asserted that the court's order to declare Musharraf an absconder in the Ghazi murder case was unlawful and the court should recall it. He added that the order was issued in his absence and he was not given enough time to defend the case.

He argued that why security has been denied to Musharraf when Article 9 of the constitution permits to give security to any person.

The court adjourned the hearing until February 22 by giving remarks that comments have been sought from the Interior Ministry about granting red warrants for Pervez Musharraf's arrest and all the applications filed by his legal counsel are dismissed.