Special court orders formation of medical board to review Musharraf’s health

ISLAMABAD: The special court on Thursday ordered that a medical board should be constituted to review former president Pervez Musharraf’s health condition, Express News reported. The court had reserved this order after a letter from Musharraf’s US-based doctor was presented before the court. The letter stated that the former president should be immediately sent abroad for medical treatment. The three-member bench stated that the medical board of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) senior doctors should inform the court about how serious is Musharraf’s condition, does he need to undergo a surgery and how long will he remain in the hospital. The medical board will have to send its response to the court on January 24. Treatment abroad The US-based doctor – after reviewing Musharraf’s medical reports – recommended that the former military ruler should be immediately sent abroad for treatment. Dr Arjumand Hashmi had treated Musharraf in the past. He expressed concern over Musharraf’s heart condition and said the former ruler should be sent to his hospital in Texas, US for treatment. Hashmi made this recommendation in a letter to Musharraf’s lawyers. His assessment was based on the medical reports of the former president. Anwar Maqsood – who is representing Musharraf in the treason case – presented this letter before the special court. The letter was written on January 9. Musharraf was ordered to appear before the special court for the treason case today. The former president faces treason charges under Article 6 for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts. The 70-year-old was taken ill and rushed to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi on January 2 as he was being transported under heavy guard to the special court. The special court reserved its decision and will announce it at 3pm today. The hearing of the case was adjourned to January 17. The Islamabad High Court also dismissed a petition seeking exemption for Musharraf from appearing in person. Ahmed Raza Kasuri Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri, while talking to the media in Islamabad, stated that the special court bench formed to hear the treason case is unconstitutional. “It was formed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and not the federal government,” Kasuri added, further stating that Nawaz is taking revenge from the former military ruler. When questioned by a reporter about Musharraf’s current medical status, Kasuri got emotional and stated that the journalist “must be a paid Indian reporter.” Judges detention case Musharraf did not appear before an anti-terrorism court hearing the judges detention case. Earlier today, the former president was ordered to appear before the court at 12pm even if he had to come in an ambulance. Judge Attiqur Rehman said that Musharraf should appear before the court under any circumstances. The hearing was adjourned to January 27. On July 14, a special team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), probing into the charges of detaining senior judges on November 3, 2007 against the former military ruler, had decided to record the statements of superior court judges in an effort to make a strong case against the former president. Musharraf was indicted by an anti-terrorism court judge in the case on June 15, 2013. The case is based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered against Musharraf on August 11, 2009 by the Secretariat police for detaining over 60 judges including the now former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. On June 11 last year, the Islamabad High Court had granted the former president pre-arrest bail against surety bonds worth Rs 500,000. Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had rejected Musharraf’s bail application on April 18, 2013 and the former president was arrested. Later Musharraf was shifted to his farmhouse, which was declared a sub-jail at that time.