Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
A three-member bench – headed by Justice Faisal Arab – heard the case today.
The court said that the law requires that all the documents related to the case be provided to the suspect, adding that testimonies will be recorded from May 22.
Musharraf's lawyer Faisal Chaudhry told the media in Islamabad that today's decision by the special court was a success for the former's president's legal team.
On April 24, the legal team of the former president had raised questions over the non-availability of FIA's inquiry report, accusing the prosecution of deliberately withholding the documents related to the promulgation of the November 3, 2007 emergency and Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).
Counsel for Musharraf Barrister Farogh Naseem had argued before the court that the prosecution’s witnesses could not be cross-examined until the report was received.
Nasim had also said that it was an essential pillar of the criminal justice process that the accused be allowed to set up his defence to the best of his abilities and this was only possible when the accused had access to all the information which the prosecution is relying upon in the case.
He had further said that if the relevant record would not be given, then it would be the violation of Article 25 of the constitution.
On March 31, Musharraf was formally charged for subverting and circumventing the Constitution by imposing emergency on November 3, 2007. Musharraf had rejected the charges levelled against him.
You can view the five charges levelled against him here.
COMMENTS (13)
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1732549780-0/Speaker-Na-photo-22_04_2014-(1)1732549780-0-270x192.webp "negotiations underway between government pti over sit in venue")
@writer: So you want the court to pass an unconstitutional order of barring a citizen from the country? Musharraf is proving his innocense in court and no one has the right to deny him his constitutional rights of living in Pakistan and contesting for public office if he and his followers so choose. You have the right to not vote for him but you don;t have the right to deny our right to do so.
@LIAQAT ALI:
"PRAISE ONE DECISION OF THE COURT AND CONDEMN ANOTHER ONE BEING BAISED? MAKE UP YOUR MIND ABOUT THE SPECIAL COURT – GOOD OR BAD."
Dear friend, not all sides of a bad person is bad. There is always a good side even to a very bad person. Sometimes it is artificial and pretentious.
Fake cases, fake government and fake prosecutors have no feet.
Please end this schoolyard fight between Sharif/Zardari and Musharref, just let the damn former leader leave the country and make it law that he never can come back as a civilian contestant for leadership of Pakistan.
Let this guy go and lets focus on more important issues at home ...
Musharraf will not face any punishment by law as this is for the ordinary subjects of this country. This country is not sacred it's generals are, sad but factually true
first time positive decision from the court..
@AAK:PRAISE ONE DECISION OF THE COURT AND CONDEMN ANOTHER ONE BEING BAISED? MAKE UP YOUR MIND ABOUT THE SPECIAL COURT - GOOD OR BAD. Ganp up of ALL undemocratic forces is becmoing obvious.
Must be fun reading the treason report created during the weekend of the Rawalpindi sectarian riots!
Treason...........does not sound right. Not doing what he should have and could have done.......sounds right.
Means end to Fraudulent case, Nawaz Era Almost complete. Bye Bye
Amazingly, Akram Sheikh is the lawyer against Musharraf and the same is the lawyer of GEO and Jang Group.
Good news! thanks Faroqh Naseem for being very professional in this case.