Court exempts Musharraf on medical grounds

A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan Monday granted exemption to former president Pervez Musharraf on medical grounds from appearing before the court in Monday's hearing in the judges' detention case.

ATC judge Atiqur Rahman heard the detention case, in which Musharraf's guarantor appeared before the court, Dawn online reported.

Ilyas Siddiqui, Musharraf's attorney, presented the medical report in which it was mentioned that the former army chief could not attend the hearing due to a heart ailment.

Subsequently, the Islamabad court, while giving exemption to Musharraf for Monday, adjourned the case hearing till Feb 10.

The case was filed against Musharraf for confining more than 60 judges of the superior court after imposing emergency Nov 3, 2007.

On Aug 11, 2009 the case was filed by Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman, an advocate, who later announced that he would not pursue the case "in the larger public interest".

"It is up to the state and the court whether they wanted to keep this case alive," he said.

The announcement to withdraw the case by Ghumman did not give any relief to the former military ruler.

On Jan 17, the ATC, noting that Musharraf repeatedly remained absent from the proceedings, ordered the former president to personally appear before it Jan 27.

The ATC judge also directed the interior ministry as well as the guarantors of Musharraf to appear before the court Monday.