18 April: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected bail application of former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in judges’ detention case and ordered his arrest. However, he, encircled by his personal security staff, escaped from the premises of the IHC after the cancellation of his bail application and confined himself in his farmhouse located in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad.
18 April: An All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) spokesman said that Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf would appeal in the Supreme Court against an order for his arrest.
18 April: All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) spokesman Dr. Amjad made it clear that former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf did not flee the court after arrest orders. He said the former president was disappointed on court orders; however, he would not defy it.
18 April: Authorities blocked all access points leading to the residence of ex-military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. The area around Musharraf’s farm house in Chak Shahzed in the outskirts of capital Islamabad was completely sealed. No one was allowed to enter the area.
18 April: The Islamabad High Court took notice of Pervez Musharraf fleeing from the premises of the court after his bail extension plea was rejected and his arrest was ordered. The court sought a report from the Inspector General Islamabad as to why police was not able to arrest former president and demanded a report regarding responsible police officers at the scene.
18 April: Chief Commissioner Tariq Pirzada declared former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s residence located in Chak Shahzed as sub-jail.
19 April: Pervez Musharraf was formally arrested and sent on a two-day transit remand by a local magistrate. The magistrate directed police to present Musharraf in anti-terrorism court in two days.
19 April: The Islamabad High Court reprimanded IG Islamabad Bani Amin for police failure to arrest Pervez Musharraf after cancellation of his interim bail.
19 April: Musharraf was grilled in police custody at Islamabad police headquarters where he got his statement recorded. Musharraf, shifted to police guest house from his farmhouse for two days of remand, claimed he did not order detention of Supreme Court judges but they were rather taken into protective custody when he imposed emergency in 2007. He said the decision regarding judges of superior judiciary was taken in consultation with federal cabinet.
19 April: The Senate passed a unanimous resolution seeking trial of Pervez Musharraf under article 6 of the Constitution for derailing democracy and abrogating the constitution. The resolution moved by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s (PML-N) Senator Ishaq Dar further condemned the escape of former military ruler from the Islamabad High Court premises on Thursday after cancellation of bail.
20 April: An anti-terrorist court (ATC) in Islamabad sent former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on a two-week long judicial remand in the judges’ detention case. The ATC judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi issued the order to re-produce Musharraf in court on May 4.
20 April: Local administration declared former President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s farmhouse in Chak Shahzad a sub-jail due to security concerns.
DND