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Friday, June 28, 2013
Govt reluctant to give timeframe on trial of Pervez Musharraf
* AG tells SC giving a specific time for completion of investigation will be a speculation
* Counsel says Musharraf not afraid but fears he won’t get fair trialBy Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: The government is reluctant to give a specific date about the completion of special FIA team’s investigations against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for imposing emergency on November 3, 2007.
Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Munir A Malik on Thursday told a three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, that giving a specific time would be a speculation. On the other hand, counsel for the petitioners have expressed concern over the government’s hesitation to give a timeframe for the completion of FIA’s investigation. They demanded that the government should first constitute special court in this matter.
Meanwhile, while assuring a fair trial to the former army chief, the AGP told the bench that the government wants to advance the due process for the sanctity of the constitution and it was not a vendetta against Musharraf. The bench hearing the case of high treason against Musharraf and others noted that it is the case of first impression and it’s the first time in the country’s history that petitions have been filed under Article 6 of the constitution.
The AGP said that in accordance with law a special court comprising serving judges of the high courts would be constituted on the issue of high treason in consultation with the chief justice of Pakistan. Objecting to the government’s stance on the trial, Musharraf’s counsel Ibrahim Satti contended that his client is not afraid of trial under high treason act, provided it is fair and carried out by an impartial tribunal without any foreign interference and that all the legal and factual pleas, defences and remedies are available to him.
He claimed that Musharraf is already facing hardships in getting justice; firstly, due to media trial despite the fact that the matter is sub judice, and secondly, there is genuine apprehension that the former military president will not have a fair trial from the present judiciary and also that the executive is now headed by a person who was directly affected by Musharraf’s military coup of October 12, 1999. To this, Justice Jawwad said the court is conscious of the fact that the constitution and country’s credibility is before it. The hearing of the case will resume today (Friday).
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk