It's not the first time and he had good reason....
"Pakistan court issues warrant after Musharraf fails to show" by Salman Masood | New York Times, March 15, 2014
ISLAMABAD — A special court on Friday issued a warrant for the arrest of Pervez Musharraf, the former military ruler of Pakistan, after he failed to appear in court for proceedings in a treason case against him, lawyers said.
The court order said the warrant would take effect on March 31. It is a type known as “non-bailable,” which means Musharraf cannot apply for bail and will be arrested if he does not show up for a court hearing that day.
“We will review the court decision and then decide whether to challenge it or not,” Faisal Chaudhry, one of the lawyers for Musharraf, told reporters after the court hearing.
Musharraf is in a military hospital in the neighboring garrison city of Rawalpindi and has repeatedly avoided appearing before the special court, citing medical and security concerns.
When Musharraf again declined to appear before the court on Friday, another of his lawyers, Anwar Mansoor Khan, told the three-member panel of judges that his client could not risk attending because of security threats on his life.
Related:
"Authorities on Tuesday found an explosive device and two pistols about a half-mile away from Musharraf’s residence. The brief hearing held Tuesday at an auditorium at the National Library was expected to be largely procedural, but the significance of having a former army chief appearing in front of a treason court would be enormous in a country where the military’s power has rarely been challenged. Security was beefed up outside the National Library, and about a dozen paramilitary Rangers were stationed inside the auditorium where the three-judge panel was to hear the case. The Pakistani Taliban threatened to kill Musharraf after his return from abroad."
Sound familiar, Amerikan?
Also see: Bombs found near home of former Pakistani leader
I wonder who set those.
Pakistani intelligence agencies had earlier in the week warned that Musharraf could be targeted by Al Qaeda and Taliban militants during his commute from the military hospital to the capital.
Musharraf is facing charges of subverting the constitution in 2007, when he imposed emergency rule and fired top members of the judiciary.
Musharraf, who ruled the country from 1999 until he was forced to resign in 2008, was considered an important ally of the United States in its efforts against Islamist extremism and militancy. During his time in power, he survived several assassination attempts, for which Al Qaeda and Taliban militants claimed responsibility.
The special court panel, however, led by Justice Faisal Arab, has insisted that Musharraf must appear before the court to be indicted. It has directed Islamabad police officials to ensure stringent security measures.
On Friday, 2,000 police officers were deployed on the route from Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi to the special court, which is temporarily set up in a government library complex, in Islamabad.
Legal analysts said the decision Friday to issue an arrest warrant without the possibility of bail was a response by the special court to the noncompliance of Musharraf, who has appeared only once in the treason proceedings since they were initiated last December. The treason case is unprecedented in the country’s history, where the military has traditionally been powerful and unaccountable.
But Musharraf’s fortunes have declined sharply since he returned to Pakistan in March 2013 to try to revive his political career. He has been ensnared in several court cases related to his time in power, the treason trial being the most serious. It carries a possible death penalty in case of a conviction.
I can't imagine who talked him into going back there, can you?
--more--"
Some of you may have found the fact that I returned to Pakistan today a little earth-shaking, but I'm trying to catch up with you all.
Related:
"Pakistan’s government plans to put former president Pervez Musharraf on trial for treason, but some question whether the country’s powerful army actually will let that happen. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan insisted during a news conference that the government’s decision to put the former president on trial for treason was not a personal vendetta by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was toppled in a military coup by Musharraf in 1999. Other cases facing Musharraf involve his alleged role in the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the death of a Baluch separatist leader killed by the army, the killing of a radical cleric, and the detention of Pakistani judges."
Also see: Pakistan’s Musharraf gives defense of actions
"The latest twist in the melodrama surrounding Musharraf’s case, after the 70-year-old retired army general was suddenly taken to a military cardiac hospital with an undisclosed ailment instead of appearing in court to face the charges, raised speculation in the Pakistani capital that a deal was being arranged to allow him to leave the country rather than face the humiliation of a civilian trial, which analysts believe could cause unrest in the country’s powerful military establishment."
Why did he come back then?
"The development is the latest twist in a series of legal cases Musharraf has faced since returning to Pakistan nearly a year ago. It came as the retired general failed yet again to appear in court. Musharraf’s repeated failure to appear in court and his admission to the hospital has led to speculation that he will leave the country under the guise of seeking medical treatment abroad."
A U.S./Shah situation? Musharraf must know many secrets.
Related:
Musharraf, in hospital, avoids trial, not rumors
Ex-leader seeks to leave Pakistan
Pervez Musharraf’s bid to leave Pakistan is denied
Pakistan court gets Musharraf’s medical report
And the decision after two days?
Pakistan’s Pervez Musharraf ordered to attend hearing
Despite discomfort in his chest and left arm, which could have signaled a heart attack.
Look like he finally made it:
Musharraf appears in court on high treason charge
The appearance is also a blow to the prestige of the country’s powerful military establishment. Pakistan has undergone three military-led coups since its inception in 1947, and the institution and its leaders have often been perceived as above the law.
Musharraf missed two previous appearances in the proceedings, which began last Dec. 24, due to security scares and was hospitalized on Jan. 2 after complaining of chest pains on the way to the Islamabad courthouse. His petition to be allowed to go abroad for treatment was rejected.
Also see: Musharraf ordered to court
Nothing in today's Globe about it, not even a brief.
Sorry I've missed posting about Pakistan for so long.
