Treason case: Last-minute change shocks ex-defence team
Say they managed to save the accused from indictment for four months.
Musharraf’s new lawyer Farogh Naseem. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD:
Pervez Musharraf’s decision to hire Advocate Farogh Naseem to defend him during Monday’s proceedings has shocked his previous legal team.
“I was informed on Monday night that we are being superseded. It is shocking for us,” a senior lawyer of the previous defence team told The Express Tribune.
He expressed disappointment over the late-hour engagement of the new counsel and said he was no more interested to plead the case. He added that the previous defence team had secured the accused from indictment for four months and it was enough.
The Islamabad High Court’s former judge and senior lawyer said that it was very surprising for him that Musharraf, for the first time, had shown dissatisfaction with his legal team.
Sources said that after long consultation with different quarters – especially military fellows – Musharraf had decided to engage new counsels’ and was also contacting Wasim Sajjad and SM Zafar, after hiring Farogh Naseem.
Citing reasons for this change, sources said the special court was unhappy with the behavior of the previous defence team members – especially with Rana Ijaz, Anwar Mansoor Khan and Sharifuddin Pirzada – and therefore Farogh Naseem was engaged to get reprieve from the court regarding leaving abroad.
“I think Mr Naseem has been successful to get favourable observations from the special court regarding Musharraf’s possible exit,” a member of Musharraf’s previous team said.
An insider also revealed that an active member of Musharraf’s previous legal team Chaudhry Faisal Hussain had briefed Farogh Naseem on the case at 4:00 am as senior lawyers were not available at that time to evolve a new strategy for the March 31 hearing.
Sources said the new counsel also offered young and active lawyer Chaudhry Faisal to continue his assistance in this case.
It is also learnt that the previous team members have not withdrawn their wakalatnamas from this case, therefore, there are chances that some of the members would be asked to continue their services.
Another member of the former legal team claims that everything is planned and induction of a new counsel is also part of the strategy. “You can say that after Alpha, now it is Bravo’s turn and we have no problem in this regard,” he told The Express Tribune.
He added that the Alpha (previous legal team) did a great job as it secured the accused from indictment for four months and now Bravo (new legal team) will do its job to fly their client abroad.
Sources said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan after holding meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also went to the General Headquarters (GHQ) to evolve a strategy regarding Musharraf’s possible departure abroad after the special court’s latest ruling.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2014.
Pervez Musharraf’s decision to hire Advocate Farogh Naseem to defend him during Monday’s proceedings has shocked his previous legal team.
“I was informed on Monday night that we are being superseded. It is shocking for us,” a senior lawyer of the previous defence team told The Express Tribune.
He expressed disappointment over the late-hour engagement of the new counsel and said he was no more interested to plead the case. He added that the previous defence team had secured the accused from indictment for four months and it was enough.
The Islamabad High Court’s former judge and senior lawyer said that it was very surprising for him that Musharraf, for the first time, had shown dissatisfaction with his legal team.
Sources said that after long consultation with different quarters – especially military fellows – Musharraf had decided to engage new counsels’ and was also contacting Wasim Sajjad and SM Zafar, after hiring Farogh Naseem.
Citing reasons for this change, sources said the special court was unhappy with the behavior of the previous defence team members – especially with Rana Ijaz, Anwar Mansoor Khan and Sharifuddin Pirzada – and therefore Farogh Naseem was engaged to get reprieve from the court regarding leaving abroad.
“I think Mr Naseem has been successful to get favourable observations from the special court regarding Musharraf’s possible exit,” a member of Musharraf’s previous team said.
An insider also revealed that an active member of Musharraf’s previous legal team Chaudhry Faisal Hussain had briefed Farogh Naseem on the case at 4:00 am as senior lawyers were not available at that time to evolve a new strategy for the March 31 hearing.
Sources said the new counsel also offered young and active lawyer Chaudhry Faisal to continue his assistance in this case.
It is also learnt that the previous team members have not withdrawn their wakalatnamas from this case, therefore, there are chances that some of the members would be asked to continue their services.
Another member of the former legal team claims that everything is planned and induction of a new counsel is also part of the strategy. “You can say that after Alpha, now it is Bravo’s turn and we have no problem in this regard,” he told The Express Tribune.
He added that the Alpha (previous legal team) did a great job as it secured the accused from indictment for four months and now Bravo (new legal team) will do its job to fly their client abroad.
Sources said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan after holding meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also went to the General Headquarters (GHQ) to evolve a strategy regarding Musharraf’s possible departure abroad after the special court’s latest ruling.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2014.