Pakistan special court asks government to find ways to extradite Pervez Musharraf from UAE

Islamabad: A special court hearing the treason case against Pakistan’s former dictator General Pervez Musharraf on Monday asked the Interior Ministry to find ways to extradite the absconding ex-president from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While deciding to conduct daily proceedings from 9 October against the former military ruler, a three-member tribunal lead by Justice Yawar Ali asked prosecution lawyer Nasser-ud-Din Nayyer to guide the court if Musharraf’s statement can be recorded through a video link. [caption id=“attachment_1331539” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Pervez Musharraf. Reuters[/caption] The previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the ex-army chief Musharraf in 2013 over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in 2007 November. Adjourning the case on Monday, the court said it will be heard against the 75-year-old Dubai-based ex-president on a daily basis from 9 October. Justice Ali asked the Interior Ministry to give in writing how Musharraf ‘could be brought back to Pakistan’. “Is there not another option besides Interpol to bring him back?” he asked, adding that the ministry should apprise the court during the next hearing. “We now have to rule on this case and bring it to its final conclusion,” the judge remarked. Musharraf left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment on 18 March, 2016 with a commitment to come back. He managed to go abroad after his name was removed from the Exit Control List on the orders of the Supreme Court. A few months later, however, the special court declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. He has repeatedly refused to return to Pakistan citing security reasons. Musharraf’s lawyer Akhar Shah previously said that the former president could not appear in person due to security reasons. He also said that Musharraf’s health was not good and was not allowed by his doctors to travel. Shah said that Musharraf will appear before the court if the government accorded him president-level security. General Musharraf took power in 1999 by toppling the government of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and ruled Pakistan until 2008 when he was forced to step down.