Pervez Musharraf arrested, granted two-day transit remand

ISLAMABAD: The judicial magistrate’s court on Friday granted ex-military leader Pervez Musharraf two days transit remand after he was arrested over charges related to judges confinement, officials said.

The former president was arrested Friday morning and presented before Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Abbas. After a brief hearing, the court issued a written order to grant him two-day transit remand.

The order further stated that police showed Musharraf’s arrest on April 18 and requested for two weeks’ judicial remand. The judicial magistrate further said that the police should abide by the Islamabad High Court’s order and include Section 7 of anti-terrorism followed by submitting the report.

After attending the hearing, Pervez Musharraf returned to his Chak Shahzad farmhouse. While talking to Geo News,Musharraf said he returned to Pakistan out of his own will and respects the courts. He expressed his determination of facing the consequences.

"General Musharraf has been sent on a two-day judicial remand and he will stay at his farmhouse," a spokesman for his All Pakistan Muslim League said.

The court has declared his Chak Shahzad farmhouse as sub-jail where he will be confined for the next two days.

An official at the magistrate’s court in Islamabad confirmed the order.

According to Geo News correspondent, Pervez Musharraf along with his team of lawyers appeared before Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Abbas Shah’s court Friday morning under strict security. At the occasion, lawyers chanted slogans against Musharraf.

Musharraf’s lawyer pleaded the judicial magistrate to declare him judicial as his client has threats to his life. Musharraf waited in the court’s premises in his car and left for his residence after a while.

"Musharraf himself surrendered before the court Friday morning," Amjad said, denying media reports that he had been arrested prior to going to court.

Musharraf walked into the court wearing a traditional shalwar kamiz surrounded by police and paramilitary.

His team said they would seek bail in the Supreme Court later Friday.

The Islamabad High Court had on Thursday ordered his arrest over his controversial decision to dismiss judges when he imposed emergency rule in 2007.

Musharraf is also accused of conspiracy to murder PPP leader Benazir Bhutto in 2007 and over the death of Akbar Bugti during a 2006 military operation. He had been granted bail repeatedly since his homecoming on March 24.