Musharraf suffers ‘heart problem’ while on way to treason hearing
Print Edition
Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was rushed to hospital yesterday after suffering a “heart problem” on his way to court, in the latest dramatic twist in his treason trial.
The 70-year-old had been summoned to the special tribunal in Islamabad after failing to show up for two previous sessions due to security threats.
Jan Mohammad, a senior police official, told the court that Musharraf had fallen ill with a “heart problem” while being transported to the hearing under heavy guard.
The case was adjourned until Monday, with Musharraf’s legal team saying he would seek medical advice before deciding whether to attend.
A doctor at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi, the garrison city bordering Islamabad, said the former ruler was in a stable condition and under observation.
An aide to the ex-general, who is facing a series of criminal cases dating back to his 1999-2008 rule, had earlier said he was in “bad shape.”
His lawyers say the allegations, relating to his imposition of emergency rule in November 2007, are politically motivated.
Efforts were under way to have Musharraf, currently under a government travel ban, flown out of the country, a source from his camp said.
Rumors have circulated for months that a backroom deal would be struck to whisk him overseas before trial to avoid a clash between the government, which brought the charges, and the armed forces.
But the ex-commando previously insisted that he wants to stay and fight the charges.
He is Pakistan’s first ex-army head to be put on trial. While there has been no public comment from the military, some observers say they are reluctant to have their former chief suffer the indignity of trial in a civilian court.
The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has repeatedly said it would not let Musharraf leave Pakistan before facing the courts.
“If the doctors advise him to go abroad for treatment, then we will seek permission from the court,” Musharraf lawyer Muhammad Ali Saif said. “The court can grant him permission to leave the country if his doctors advise so.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
