Interior Ministry pushes Musharraf treason trial forward
Chief Justice of Pakistan forwards Law Ministry's letter, seeks names of judges from each high court chief justice.
Former president Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Interior Ministry has sent a letter to the Law Ministry regarding the former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf's treason case, Express News reported on Monday.
In the letter, the ministry states that Musharraf had violated the constitution by imposing emergency rule in the country in November 2007.
According to the letter, a trial needs to take place as soon as possible with a 'special court' hearing the case. The prosecutor for the case needs to selected immediately as well, the letter further stated.
This letter will be sent to the Supreme Court by the Law Ministry.
The case can only proceed further after the judges are decided by the Supreme Court.
SC seeks names of the judges to hear treason case
Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has asked the chief justices of all five high courts of the country to nominate one judge from each high court by tomorrow, who would be a part of a ‘special court’ that would hear the treason case against the former president, Express News reported.
CJP Chaudhry has forwarded Law ministry's letter regarding the former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf's treason case to all the five high courts.
The Chief Justice will select three judges, one each from three high courts to hear the case.
Removal from ECL
The Sindh High Court (SHC) also adjourned the hearing of the petition regarding removing Musharraf's name from the Exit Control List (ECL) to November 22.
On November 12, SHC had issued a notice to the federal law officer, chief provincial law officer and prosecutor general Sindh, asking them to submit their comments on Musharraf’s application to have his name removed from ECL.
A division bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was seized with the hearing of the application filed by the former army chief. Musharraf wanted the court to modify its earlier order, which had restrained him from leaving the country without permission of trial courts.
Treason case
The government will formally request the Supreme Court today to constitute a ‘special court’ to try former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for high treason.
“Following the judgment of the Supreme Court and a report submitted by an inquiry committee, it has been decided to start proceedings against Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had told a news conference in the federal capital on November 17.
“It is happening for the first time in the history of Pakistan. This case is very sensitive and important and the decision has been taken in the national interest,” he had added.
The move comes after Musharraf was granted bail in other criminal cases against him, including the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, slaying of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and Lal Masjid siege.
The All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), the political party of Pervez Musharraf, had said that the former military ruler will face the charges in the court and prove his innocence. On the other hand, opposition parties had termed the government’s decision to invoke Article 6 against Musharraf a “tactic to divert public attention from sectarian unrest” in Rawalpindi .
The Interior Ministry has sent a letter to the Law Ministry regarding the former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf's treason case, Express News reported on Monday.
In the letter, the ministry states that Musharraf had violated the constitution by imposing emergency rule in the country in November 2007.
According to the letter, a trial needs to take place as soon as possible with a 'special court' hearing the case. The prosecutor for the case needs to selected immediately as well, the letter further stated.
This letter will be sent to the Supreme Court by the Law Ministry.
The case can only proceed further after the judges are decided by the Supreme Court.
SC seeks names of the judges to hear treason case
Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has asked the chief justices of all five high courts of the country to nominate one judge from each high court by tomorrow, who would be a part of a ‘special court’ that would hear the treason case against the former president, Express News reported.
CJP Chaudhry has forwarded Law ministry's letter regarding the former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf's treason case to all the five high courts.
The Chief Justice will select three judges, one each from three high courts to hear the case.
Removal from ECL
The Sindh High Court (SHC) also adjourned the hearing of the petition regarding removing Musharraf's name from the Exit Control List (ECL) to November 22.
On November 12, SHC had issued a notice to the federal law officer, chief provincial law officer and prosecutor general Sindh, asking them to submit their comments on Musharraf’s application to have his name removed from ECL.
A division bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was seized with the hearing of the application filed by the former army chief. Musharraf wanted the court to modify its earlier order, which had restrained him from leaving the country without permission of trial courts.
Treason case
The government will formally request the Supreme Court today to constitute a ‘special court’ to try former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for high treason.
“Following the judgment of the Supreme Court and a report submitted by an inquiry committee, it has been decided to start proceedings against Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had told a news conference in the federal capital on November 17.
“It is happening for the first time in the history of Pakistan. This case is very sensitive and important and the decision has been taken in the national interest,” he had added.
The move comes after Musharraf was granted bail in other criminal cases against him, including the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, slaying of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and Lal Masjid siege.
The All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), the political party of Pervez Musharraf, had said that the former military ruler will face the charges in the court and prove his innocence. On the other hand, opposition parties had termed the government’s decision to invoke Article 6 against Musharraf a “tactic to divert public attention from sectarian unrest” in Rawalpindi .