Ministry asked to bring back Musharraf through Interpol

Special Court set up for the trial of former Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf (retd) under Article 6 of Constitution, directed Ministry of Interior to approach Interpol for issuance of former president's arrest warrants and production before this court. A three-member Special Court comprising Justice Yahya Afridi, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court, Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar, a judge of Balochistan High Court and Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court had heard the federal government's complaint against Musharraf on March 8, but issued its written order on Friday. The next hearing will be held on March 21.
The former army chief is being tried under Article 6 of Constitution 1973 for abrogating and suspending the Constitution by promulgating emergency on 3rd November, 2007. The Special Court had also directed the Interior Ministry to suspend Musharraf's CNIC and passport and attach his properties within and outside Pakistan by March 21.
In the last hearing Musharraf's counsel Akhtar Shah told the court that the former army chief is ready to come back to Pakistan and appear before the courts, where his cases are pending, but he requires foolproof security. He had requested the court to direct the Ministry of Interior to provide tight security to him whenever he comes back to Pakistan, and he should not be stopped from going abroad whenever he likes.
The prosecution had informed the Special Court that presently Musharraf is residing in the United Arab Emirates and that there is an Extradition Treaty between the governments of United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, which could be invoked to ensure the arrest of ex-CoAS and the attachment of his properties in the emirates. According to the Ministry of Interior, in Pakistan out of seven properties Musharraf is the sole owner of four properties, while two are jointly owned by his wife Sehba Musharraf and daughter Ayla Raza. They have challenged the attachment of Musharraf's properties and freezing of his bank accounts and have filed an application in that regard.