ISLAMABAD: The Special Public Prosecutor in the high treason case, Akram Sheikh has said that there is no categorical opinion given by the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) that the accused General (R) Pervez Musharraf was handicapped or unable to appear before the court.

He expressed these remarks during the Special Court's proceedings held here in the National Library on Thursday under the head of Justice Faisal Arab.

Continuing on the reports, Sheikh maintained that there was no such details that Musharraf was handicapped and could not appear before the court. He went on saying that at the age of 70, it was natural that most of the said problems in human body arise.

Arguing on the diagnoses by the AFIC, he said that the court should analyse whether Musharraf should be given exemption on the basis of such a critical disease adding that the excess of calcium in arteries at the age of 70 was a not something unusual.

About the blood pressure of Musharraf, Sheikh contended that his BP was 120/80 which was the BP of an 18 years old young person. AFIC reports revealed that Musharraf's heart-beat was 53 per minute which was the heart beat of a sportsman, he added.

Akram Sheikh maintained that the seriousness of Musharraf's illness could be seen as his angiography had not yet been conducted even after 5 days of his admittance.

He termed the reports of AFIC as in-conclusive which did not give any opinion that why could Musharraf not attend court's proceedings.

He stated that Musharraf was not admitted in Intensive Care and even yesterday he received many visitors and some 1500 flower bouquets were also presented to him. Defence counsels also met Musharraf and requested the Court may consider the teeming hopes of millions and decide the case in accordance with the law, he added.

As far as the reports were concerned, he stated, Musharraf should appear before the court, otherwise the court should issue summon for his presence.

Quoting 2002 presidential order, Sheikh stated that the order puts restriction over the visit to abroad for the purpose of treatment on grade 22 or even below that.

He stated that most of the people present in the court including him suffer from many diseases yet they prefer to perform their duties in routine.

Special Prosecutor, Akram Sheikh contended that he himself was suffering from hernia problem yet he decided not to have it operated abroad because of the sensitivity of the case.

Regarding the leakage of medical report, he requested the court to hold an independent inquiry into the incident and the registrar was clearly directed not to unveil it before anyone else than the parties.

Sharif-ud-Din Pirzada, counsel for Musharraf stated that the reports were not a judicial order which gives reasons for not appearing. Angiography itself was a complicated issue which should not be taken lightely, he added.

He maintained Musharraf's medical report should remain confidential because everyman had the right of privacy yet the reports were provided to media.

To this Justice Fasial Arab stated that the court directed to registrar that the report should remain confidential and moreover report should only be given to both the parties only.

Pirzada maintained that the most complicated point in the report was the angiography and the AFIC could only give an opinion after the angiography whether he should be treated in abroad or not.

He agreed on the point that there were cardiac experts in our country. General Asif Nawaz Bajwa expired due to only taking a sip of coffee when he was suffering a cardiac problem, he added.

Pirzada submitted that while giving a verdict regarding the exemption of Mushrraf, the court should keep AFIC medical reports in view.

The court would announce the judgment on the reports later today.

(APP)