Political Participation: LHC asked to keep Musharraf out
The petitioner has also asked the court to ban the APML.
LAHORE:
An application has been filed before the Lahore High Court asking that former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf be barred from taking part in politics and for the imposition of a ban on the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).
The application was filed by Advocate Rana Ilmuddin Ghazi in a pending matter for trial of Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution. The petitioner contended in his application that the Supreme Court (SC) had already held Musharraf guilty of treason, therefore, he could not form a political party and was not eligible to hold the office of party chief. The petitioner sought direction restraining the former president from participating in politics.
He also prayed the court issue orders to dissolve the APML.
The petitioner alleged that Musharraf had dissolved an elected parliament without any cogent reason. Recounting illegalities committed by Musharraf, the advocate submitted that he had also violated the Constitution when he prevented judges of the SC and the four High Courts from performing their judicial duties and detained Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry along with his children.
He said that when the legal fraternity launched a movement for the restoration of the judiciary, they were severely beaten up and false criminal cases were filed against them.
Accusing Musharraf of killing thousands of Hafiz-i-Quran girls and boys during the Jamia Hafsa operation in Islamabad, the lawyer said that the former president also compelled Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan to accept charges of illegally selling nuclear technology which had tarnished the country’s image.
The petitioner also accused Musharraf of being involved in the Karsaz incident in Karachi [where a rally welcoming former prime minister on her return from exile was attacked by a suicide bomber].
The petitioner further alleged that Musharraf had ordered the killing of Nawab Muhammad Akbar Khan Bugti and threatened his family.
He submitted that Musharraf joined the United States in its ‘War on Terror’ after 9/11 without a national consensus on the policy and handed over innocent citizens to the US.
According to Ghazi, Musharraf also made plans to kill Benazir Bhutto.
Citing a statement of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the advocate accused Musharraf of a series of heinous crimes including the kidnapping of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. The petitioner requested the court to direct the federal government to lodge a case against the former president under Article 6 of the Constitution.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2011.
An application has been filed before the Lahore High Court asking that former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf be barred from taking part in politics and for the imposition of a ban on the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).
The application was filed by Advocate Rana Ilmuddin Ghazi in a pending matter for trial of Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution. The petitioner contended in his application that the Supreme Court (SC) had already held Musharraf guilty of treason, therefore, he could not form a political party and was not eligible to hold the office of party chief. The petitioner sought direction restraining the former president from participating in politics.
He also prayed the court issue orders to dissolve the APML.
The petitioner alleged that Musharraf had dissolved an elected parliament without any cogent reason. Recounting illegalities committed by Musharraf, the advocate submitted that he had also violated the Constitution when he prevented judges of the SC and the four High Courts from performing their judicial duties and detained Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry along with his children.
He said that when the legal fraternity launched a movement for the restoration of the judiciary, they were severely beaten up and false criminal cases were filed against them.
Accusing Musharraf of killing thousands of Hafiz-i-Quran girls and boys during the Jamia Hafsa operation in Islamabad, the lawyer said that the former president also compelled Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan to accept charges of illegally selling nuclear technology which had tarnished the country’s image.
The petitioner also accused Musharraf of being involved in the Karsaz incident in Karachi [where a rally welcoming former prime minister on her return from exile was attacked by a suicide bomber].
The petitioner further alleged that Musharraf had ordered the killing of Nawab Muhammad Akbar Khan Bugti and threatened his family.
He submitted that Musharraf joined the United States in its ‘War on Terror’ after 9/11 without a national consensus on the policy and handed over innocent citizens to the US.
According to Ghazi, Musharraf also made plans to kill Benazir Bhutto.
Citing a statement of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the advocate accused Musharraf of a series of heinous crimes including the kidnapping of Dr Aafia Siddiqui. The petitioner requested the court to direct the federal government to lodge a case against the former president under Article 6 of the Constitution.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2011.