Former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: AFP
The government's action against Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution is being done with malicious intent, a request submitted by Musharraf's advocate, Khalid Ranjha, stated.
It also stated that the government is pursuing Musharraf's cases to further a political agenda.
Ranjha said that the trial cannot be held in a special court and Musharraf should be tried in a military court under the Army Act.
Musharraf had been summoned at a special court for the treason case on December 24 under Article 6. Interior Secretary Shahid Khan had said that Musharraf had violated the constitution by imposing emergency rule in the country in November 2007.
On December 20, lawyers for the former president had said that a treason charge levied against him was politically motivated and that he would face a “show trial”, urging the United Nations to intervene.
The legal team had also called on the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia to denounce Musharraf’s trial to “repay their debt” for his support in the US-led “war on terror” in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
Musharraf overthrew the government of current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless military coup in 1999 and ruled until 2008. His lawyers had claimed that Sharif is using the treason case to get revenge.
The 70-year-old ex-commando is the first former military dictator in Pakistan’s history to face trial for treason.
Treason case
On November 17, the federal government had decided to initiate treason proceedings against Musharraf.
It had requested the Supreme Court on November 18 to constitute a ‘special court’ for the former dictator’s trial.
Attorney General Munir A Malik had said that there is strong evidence against Musharraf and that he can be sentenced to death or life imprisonment.
The federal government on December 9 finalised a charge-sheet, cataloging five charges against Musharraf including imposing emergency in the country on November 3, 2007, detaining superior courts’ judges and abrogating the constitution by imposing the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).
The decision to start this case came after Musharraf was granted bail in criminal cases against him, including the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, slaying of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and Lal Masjid siege.
COMMENTS (24)
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@Syed Umar Hussaini: There may well have been elements of a little corruption, that due to some of the two faced opportunists who joined Musharraf, Pakistan is a corrupt society, Musharraf never claimed to be a Messiah who would be able to eradicate it,compared with the corrupt pmln &ppp ,his rule was a thousand times better, people in the street remember good times during his rule,no electricity was created is a simple lie,he achieved so much in 8 years,it's a long list,it far outweigh's your criticism,Musharraf admitted nro had been a mistake,some foreign power's played a part as well,at the end of the day lovers of corrupt democracy want them in power,there will never be western style democracy in pakistan.all you want to do is negate his term of rule,continuing these comments are futile,there is no Pakistani leader like him,who speaks for and about Pakistan on the world stage, hoping inshallah Musharraf will rise again.
We strongly believe that Musharraf's internal as well as external polices were best for Pakistan and people of Pakistan. His time was a time of progress and prosperity. We witnessed it inside and from outside of Pakistan. Fully support him.
@ Naim @ Abid Your entire defense for former dictator Musharraf fails to respond to the fact that the almighty Dictator opened the floodgates of corruption through LNG Quota Scam, Rental Power etc on which his NRO beneficiary PPP ruled the roost. Musharraf created NAB but used (or abused) it to purchase the loyalties of politicians like Aftab Sherpao & Faisal Saleh Hayat etc. Not even a single penny was recovered from them rather they were made Ministers when they jumped into Musharraf's camp (since 1999). Musharraf created the unholy MMA (Mullah Military Alliance) and used (or abused) it to double-cross the West (since 2000). Despite receiving highest military & economic aid from the West, Musharraf did not install any energy infrastructure project and threw the country into Lost Decade of Energy Corruption (since 2003). Musharraf demoralized the Army by unnecessarily pulling it into civilian jobs. Not only that professional bureaucracy & technocracy was marginalized but Army was dragged into every field of life. Now Army is being blamed for mega corruption cases in Pakistan Railways (Chinese Engines, Royal Palms), DHA (Zarrar Zameen) and NLC (misappropriation of Rs1800 Million) etc. Musharraf signed NRO, the worst deal in the history of Pakistan, to legitimize more than 8000 cases of corruption (October 2007). Musharraf imposed 2nd Martial Law in the Country, a unique record by any dictatorship not even in a banana republic, blacked out the media and jailed more than 60 judges along with their families (November 2007). Now let's put our own biases aside and hope & pray that the rule of law prevails in the country, the back door for dictatorships is closed and the doctrine of necessity is buried forever!
@ Naim I don't doubt your height of likes for Musharraf but need to remind you that: Musharraf didn't proceed ahead with IP or TAPI gas pipeline to make a case for LNG Quota in 2003 which has robbed the country by more than PKR20 Billion since then. Musharraf introduced Rental Power Policy in 2006 to open a floodgate of corruption in rental power plants. Not even a single Dam has been constructed during this Lost Decade of energy mismanagement/corruption. He tried to dispose off Pakistan Steel Mills at less than 1/4th the price of its assets (his stooge Shaukat Aziz is now working for Laxmi Mittal who was allegedly ultimate buyer of the Mill). Musharraf signed NRO and waived more than 8000 cases of corruption mainly of PPP leaders. He provided PPP an opportunity to further rob the country through NRO. I don't need to remind you about the loss of 50,000 Pakistani men, women & children whom Musharraf pushed in a long war!
@Syed Umar Hussaini: Desires of the corrupt, who loot and plunder Pakistan,you are no judge and jury to say the public, comparing Musharraf with tyrannical Hosni,Gaddafi is totally unbalanced,a dictator would never have set the media free,empowered women, let free fair election take place, Musharraf never rigged the election,did not send the opposition to the gallows,real brutal dictator's are sitting on their thrones in the Middle East.
Even the USA & UK have to bow down in favor of the desires of local public. They cannot afford to take wrath of the public at the cost of a former dictator, who is no more than a spent cartridge for them. Same delusion was with Hosnie Mubarak and Moammar Qaddhafi. But they are drowned in the tsunami of public revolution against dictatorships.
@Naseer Ahmad:
I admire ET because it publishes most comments even if they are against it whereas the other big english newspaper would not even consider your comments if they are against the opinion of moderator.
Good work by the senior lawyers of Musharraf . This trial will be closed before it starts if justice is done and being seen as done .Musharraf will come out as a hero Insha Allah Ameen!!
We need justice and that does not seem to be coming. when Justice is not done nationally it goes to international forum and he has the right to do that Unfortunately , Pakistan is becoming a banana republic where we are doing target killing daily for different reasons .Is that just an Internal matter ??
I see this case also an attempted target killing by Nawaz Sharif in violation of the constitution
This is no longer an Internal Matter and both National and International powers should intervene to prevent another target killing from happening..@beaten by mush's goons:
Good.The government openly states that they have brought treason charges against Musharraf on the behest of the SC and not on their own.The judiciary is biased towards Musharraf as also evident from composition of the special court.He must approach and explore all National and International avenues to get a fair and open trial as per the law of Pakistan.
i am sure the people calling Musharraf a saint are aware of the crimes this man committed during his rule but let me remind you anyway. The crisis we are facing now is a direct result of this mans policies. This man illegally took over pakistan in 1999 and has committed grave crimes against the constitution, the country and its people. He jailed, tortured and kidnapped many of his opposition during the 9 year of his tyrannical rule. he held an illegal referendum in which he won a supposed 97% of the vote to perpetuate his rule. he murdered Akbar Bugti and started a military operation in Baluchistan and waziristan which resulted in the deaths of thousand of civilians and is still going on today. Dont forget his illegal dismissal of the judiciary and installing his own puppets, missing persons cases, lal masjid and many other cases. Finally his last parting gift was the Illegal NRO in which he gave immunity to hundreds of criminals who had committed fraud, theft and financial corruption; some of whom are now ruling the country including out dear ex president Mr Zardari..while Mr Musharraf spends a life of luxury in his million pounds flat in London or his farmhouses.. I have thought long and hard about this but for the life of me i cannot understand how any one can even begin to like this man after knowing what he has done to Pakistan and its people.
@ Arif Kamal It appears that Express Tribune has now become Nawaz Tribune.
The trial - a political landmine with shrapnel being thrown far and wide!
A true Pakistani. A great patriot. President Musharraf doesn't run away to Park Lane London or Zardari House Dubai. He will stay in Pakistan and clear his honour. He is a true son of the soil.
Former Dictator ?!
Tone of your story may or may not be in favour to the person you think is guilty. But referring a former President like this is not suitable.
Allah be with you. These fake cases and hand picked judges cannot down you. We are proud of you.
The ONLY leader in the country's history that gave people hope of a better future in Pakistan.
Great leader. Pakistan needs his vision to progress and shine.
May Allah Almighty succeed you Aameen and also may release you from the baseless allegations in other words political revenge by PML-N.......
LONG LIVE SIR MUSHARRAF
So rather than look to the people of Pakistan wit hrepentance and seek to clear his name, the former general looks to the UN, the US, Uk and Saudia Arabia to pressurise the government into dropping the case. What happened to sovereignty in our internal matters? Or was that sold along with our souls when the general was in power?