Former military dictator Pervez Musharraf was on Saturday summoned by a Pakistani court on May 22 in connection with a case related to the killing of Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rasheed Ghazi in a 2007 military raid.
Additional district and sessions Judge Wajid Ali heard the case. Musharraf’s lawyers submitted an application requesting that the former president be exempted from attending today’s proceedings, citing security threats.
During the hearing, an acquittal plea was also submitted in the court on behalf of the retired general.
ADVERTISEMENT
Musharraf’s counsel Akhtar Shah presented the stance that the Lal Masjid operation was conducted on the directives of the then-administration.
He added that Deputy Commissioner Islamabad had written a letter to Triple One Brigade for conducting the operation.
Shah said it would be an injustice to hold Musharraf responsible for the operation.
ADVERTISEMENT
The court issued notices to the concerned parties on Musharraf’s applications seeking permanent exemption from court proceedings and acquittal from murder charges.
The plaintiff Haroon Rashid’s lawyer, Tariq Asad, said Musharraf could be produced in court by making proper security arrangements.
He also suggested that Musharraf’s trial could be held in the High Court building. He added that Musharraf was also making his mother’s serious illness an excuse for escaping the trial.