Former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf
Islamabad … News Time
The special court in Islamabad has decided to hear a serious treason case against former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on a daily basis from October 24. A three-member bench headed by Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth directed all parties to submit their objections in writing before the next hearing. Pervez Musharraf’s lawyer, Reza Bashir, could not be present at the trial, but a petition was submitted in respect of him. The petition contended that he was absent at the hearing due to his nature. The petition appealed to the court that Raza Bashir Mayo is undergoing treatment for dengue in the hospital, which the court approved.
Earlier, at a previous hearing in September this year, the special court decided to hear the case on a daily basis from October 8 in the serious treason case. Following the retirement of Justice Tahira Safdar, the federal government had requested Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth of the Peshawar High Court to complete the hearing of the case. The hearing on September 25 was set by the Law Ministry on the direction of the special court defense lawyer Reza Bashir Advocate filed a request for a meeting with former president Pervez Musharraf to seek direction for arguments in the case. The court, however, expressly lashed out at the plea saying that the accused had already been summoned to record the statement under section 342 of the Pakistan Penal Code (CRPC). Barrister Salman Safdar barred from representing fugitive accused by court and Advocate Reza Bashir is serving to end the long-running case.
Background of treason case:
It is to be noted that a serious treason case was filed against General (retd) Pervez Musharraf by the federal government over the violation of constitution by the Interior Ministry the special court declared December 13, 2013 as a hearing and summoned the former president on December 24, 2013. The petition was filed against Pervez Musharraf as Army Chief on November 3, 2007, by suspending the country’s constitution and imposing an emergency. In this case, the PML-N government appointed advocate Akram Sheikh in November 2013 as the head of the prosecution. Initially, the legal team of General (R) Pervez Musharraf challenged the appointment of Advocate Akram Sheikh as chief prosecutor. But the challenge was rejected by the Islamabad High Court along with the special court allotted for the treason case.
General (retd) Pervez Musharraf did not appear in the court in February 2014, after which the court issued his arrest warrant on February 18, 2014. In March 2014, the special court had indicted the former president in a serious treason case, while evidence was provided by the prosecution in September this year. On March 8, 2016, the court summoned General (retd) Pervez Musharraf to record a statement under section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) in a serious treason case. Later, on July 19, 2016, the court also issued a permanent warrant arrest against General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and at the same time ordered them to confiscate their property. However, after the Islamabad High Court order, the special court could not hear any more against Pervez Musharraf. However, he had left the country after Islamabad High Court ordered him to be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Remember that at the beginning of 2018, the special court resumed the treason case hearings and ordered that General Pervez Musharraf’s computerized ID card and passport be blocked, after that, the former PML-N government blocked the ID card and passport in May following the court orders. Later on June 11, 2018, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Saqib Nisar ordered General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s National Identity Card (NIC) and passport restored.
