We have strong evidence against Musharraf in treason case: prosecution
Punishment can either be death penalty or life imprisonment, says Attorney General Munir A Malik.
Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Attorney General Munir A Malik stated that there is strong evidence against former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in the treason case, Express News reported on Wednesday.
The punishment can either be death penalty or life imprisonment in this case, he added.
The evidence won't take long and the decision will be made quickly by the special court, he further said, adding that as soon as the special court receives the complaint the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will be authorised to make the arrest.
Malik also said that the power to give bail lies with the special court as well and if the accused appeals then the court will listen to it.
President's approval
Secretary of Law and Justice Barrister Zafarullah Khan said that a summary of the case against Musharraf has been sent to President Mamnoon Hussain for approval, Express News reported on Wednesday.
The special court will be free to conduct its investigations independently, Zafarullah said.
He added that once the president approves the summary, the Ministry of Information will issue a notification about the special court.
Funds for the hearing and investigation will be decided after a discussion with the Ministry of Finance and the location of the hearing has not been decided yet, the law minister stated.
Treason case
The government had requested the Supreme Court on November 18 to constitute a ‘special court’ to try former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for high treason as he had violated the consitution by imposing emergency rule in the country in November 2007.
“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 process for the first treason trial of its kind in Pakistan took a giant leap on November 19 when a three-judge special court was constituted to prosecute former military ruler Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.
The development came hours after Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry forwarded the names of five judges he received from the chief justices of the high courts.
Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court (SHC) will head the special court which will include Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar of the Balochistan High Court (BHC) and Justice Yawar Ali of the Lahore High Court (LHC) as its members. The two judges dropped from the list were Justice Yahya Afridi of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Attorney General Munir A Malik stated that there is strong evidence against former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in the treason case, Express News reported on Wednesday.
The punishment can either be death penalty or life imprisonment in this case, he added.
The evidence won't take long and the decision will be made quickly by the special court, he further said, adding that as soon as the special court receives the complaint the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will be authorised to make the arrest.
Malik also said that the power to give bail lies with the special court as well and if the accused appeals then the court will listen to it.
President's approval
Secretary of Law and Justice Barrister Zafarullah Khan said that a summary of the case against Musharraf has been sent to President Mamnoon Hussain for approval, Express News reported on Wednesday.
The special court will be free to conduct its investigations independently, Zafarullah said.
He added that once the president approves the summary, the Ministry of Information will issue a notification about the special court.
Funds for the hearing and investigation will be decided after a discussion with the Ministry of Finance and the location of the hearing has not been decided yet, the law minister stated.
Treason case
The government had requested the Supreme Court on November 18 to constitute a ‘special court’ to try former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for high treason as he had violated the consitution by imposing emergency rule in the country in November 2007.
“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 process for the first treason trial of its kind in Pakistan took a giant leap on November 19 when a three-judge special court was constituted to prosecute former military ruler Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.
The development came hours after Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry forwarded the names of five judges he received from the chief justices of the high courts.
Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court (SHC) will head the special court which will include Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar of the Balochistan High Court (BHC) and Justice Yawar Ali of the Lahore High Court (LHC) as its members. The two judges dropped from the list were Justice Yahya Afridi of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).