Pak SC quashes Musharraf’s hopes of contesting July poll

Islamabad, June 14

Pervez Musharraf’s hope of staging a political comeback by contesting the July 25 polls was quashed today when Pakistan’s Supreme Court withdrew the conditional permission given earlier to the former dictator after he failed to appear before it.

Musharraf, the former military ruler has not returned to Pakistan since leaving for Dubai in March 2016 on the pretext of medical treatment.

The All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) chairperson had filed his nomination from the northern district of Chitral after the court last week allowed him to contest next month’s General Election but made it conditional on his appearance before it on June 13 in a case linked to his lifelong disqualification by the Peshawar HC in 2013.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar yesterday had rebuked the former army chief for “cowardice”, taunting him for not appearing in court and had told him to appear by 2 pm today.

During the hearing, his counsel Qamar Afzal informed the four-member bench of the apex court that he had spoken to Musharraf and he was determined to return. But Musharraf said it was not possible for him to come immediately. It prompted the chief justice to adjourn the hearing for an indefinite period. — PTI