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Sunday, May 19, 2013
SC to resume Musharraf treason hearing on MondayBy Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: After a break of 12 days, the Supreme Court will resume hearing of six identical petitions on Monday against former army chief General (retired) Pervez Musharraf for subverting and holding the Constitution in abeyance.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja will take up the treason case against former army chief.
Legal experts believe that after several developments related to this matter, the proceedings of treason case will be significant in the upcoming week. It is to be noted that in view of May 11 general election results, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has emerged the leading party, which will form the government in centre very soon. PML-N may face a major challenge in deciding the fate of Pervez Musharraf.
According to reliable sources, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif wants that future of former army chief should be decided before taking charge of the new government.
The source also said that PML-N was avoiding pressure from some international powers to allow Pervez Musharraf to leave the country.
They also said that there are chances that the counsel for Musharraf may file application in the apex court to allow him to leave for Dubai to see his ill mother.
Likewise, the complainant in judges’ detention case, Advocate Aslam Ghumman, has already decided not to pursue the case against Pervez Musharraf, who is currently under house arrest in the same matter. Similarly, it has been reported that more than six lawyers were chased by some unknown vehicles with tinted glasses and were left in a horrible condition after brutal torture after the arrest of Musharraf.
The court on May 16 issued notices to ISI and MI through Attorney General of Pakistan to assist it in finding out the culprits involved in the brutal torture of several Rawalpindi Bar Association lawyers by known people after the arrest of General (retired) Pervez Musharraf.
In the same case, a member of the bench, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, who is hearing Pervez Musharraf treason case, said that he had also received a mysterious text message from an unknown mobile number. Earlier, incumbent Attorney General of Pakistan Irfan Qadir on May 9 expressed apprehension before the Supreme Court that there would be serious political repercussions and ramifications if legal proceeding against Pervez Musharraf were initiated under Article 6 of the constitution.
On the other hand, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has already said that the plight of the former army chief should serve as an example to other top brass who may be planning a take over. Nawaz had recalled how the former army chief toppled his government in a bloodless coup in 1999. He said Pakistan was undergoing a transition, adding that this accountability which is now taking place is itself a lesson for all those who have any such designs in the future.
Lahore High Court Bar Association (Rawalpindi chapter) President, Taufiq Asif said that if the court directs the newly elected federal government to initiate proceedings against Musharraf then it would be bound to implement its order.
Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Qulbi Hassan believes that it is the biggest challenge for the newly elected government to initiate proceedings against Musharraf under Article 6 of the constitution, but added that the former president should be given a fair trail.
Meanwhile, one section of lawyers says that the newly elected government should focus on economic issues rather than wasting time in Musharraf’s case. Lawyer Tariq Mahmood said that though it was the duty of federal government to initiate proceedings against Musharraf, his case was not that important.
It is worth mentioning that the Upper House of the Parliament January 28, 2012 and also on March 20, 2013, passed unanimous resolutions for taking action against Musharraf.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk