Musharraf Case: Judge threatens ex parte proceedings

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday gave the federal government “one last chance” to reply to a petition for General (retired) Pervez Musharraf’s arrest and extradition to Pakistan and trial for high treason.

“The court will start ex parte proceedings in the case if the federal government fails to file a reply by the next date of hearing,” said Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, and then adjourned till July 13. Earlier, a deputy attorney general told the court that the government needed more time to file the reply.

The petitioner’s counsel, AK Dogar, pointed out that the government had failed to file its reply for the last 27 hearings. The petition was filed by Rana Ilmuddin Ghazi, who asked the court to order the registration of a case for high treason against Musharraf, for international warrants for his arrest and extradition to Pakistan, and his trial for sedition under Article 6 of the Constitution. The petitioner made 15 charges against Musharraf.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2011.