Musharraf ordered to record statement in treason case

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday directed former President Pervez Musharraf, who has been living in Dubai since 2016 for "medical treatment", to return and record his statement in a treason case, saying "there are good doctors in Pakistan" to treat him.

Musharraf is facing the treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar's remarks came as he headed a bench hearing the case related to National Reconciliation Ordinance, passed by the former Army chief in 2007, Geo News reported.

The NRO granted amnesty to several politicians by revoking criminal and corruption cases against them.

During the Thursday hearing, Musharraf's counsel Akhtar Shah submitted a reply regarding the former President's return to Pakistan and said: "I request the bench to keep my client's illness confidential."

Justice Nisar, however, replied saying that "there are people present in the country who are suffering with this disease."

Musharraf's counsel then asked the court to not place the former dictator's name on Exit Control List. However, he didn't get any assurance from Justice Nisar.

"He should record his statement under Section 342 in the treason case," the judge said, adding that "Dubai is not the best place for treatment and there are good doctors in Pakistan".

Naming Musharraf, former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Attorney General Malik Qayyum as respondents, petitioner Feroz Shah Gilani had requested the court in April to order recovery of 'huge amounts of public money' misappropriated and wasted by them through unlawful means 'already on record in different judgments of the Supreme Court and High Court'.

The petition had contended that Musharraf subverted the Constitution by declaring Emergency followed by the promulgation of the NRO, through which criminal and corruption cases against politicians, including Zardari, were "arbitrarily withdrawn".

--IANS

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