Musharraf case: Cabinet division officials testify before court

Defence lawyer claims all co-accused to face trial.


Hasnaat Malik July 04, 2014
Musharraf case: Cabinet division officials testify before court

ISLAMABAD:


Two more witnesses on Thursday recorded their statements in the high treason case against former army chief Pervez Musharraf. Deputy Secretary Siraj Ahmed and Section Officer Kaleem Ahmed Shahzad of the Cabinet Division recorded their statements before the special court, presided over by Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Tahira Safdar and Justice Yawar Ali. Shaukat Hayat cross-examined the witnesses as Farogh Naseem was not present. 


The witnesses produced certified copies of the Proclamation of Emergency order, Provisional Constitutional Order and the order for judges’ oath under the PCO. Both officials said they had provided certified copies of the required documents to Additional Director Khalid Rasool on three different dates ie 4th, 9th and 19th December 2013.

Siraj Ahmed said that on 3rd November 2007 he was serving as section officer in the Cabinet Division. He said that when the correspondence is received in the ministry, it is first entered into the log and then delivered to the relevant departments. “The investigation office recorded our statement in the Cabinet Division, which neither had the inquiry number, nor case and the accused name,” he said.

When asked by the defence counsel if the Proclamation of Emergency was signed by former president Pervez Musharraf in the witnesses’ presence, Ahmed said it was not.

Kaleem Shahzad said that on 3rd November he was posted in the ministry of population and welfare as account officer, but following devolution he was transferred to the Cabinet Division as cash officer and on 7th December 2013 was appointed as section officer in the ministerial wing.

Shahzad said that he provided certified copies of the required documents to Khalid Rasool in the presence of the deputy secretary and a seizure memo was prepared by the FIA officer.

Speaking with The Express Tribune, a member of Musharraf’s legal team, Chaudhry Faisal Hussain said that after the interior secretary’s testimony, the defence has enough material to prolong the trial and all the co-accused including military officials will face treason trials under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2014.

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