Treason case: Lawyer seeks action against those who supported Musharraf
Court should take action against those who violated constitution since March 25, 1956, lawyer said.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf’s lawyer Farogh Naseem has requested the court to take action against those who supported his client during November 3, 2007 emergency, Dunya News reported on Tuesday.
Justice Faisal Arab, who heads the three-judge court, is hearing the case pertaining to high treason charges against the former army strongman in the premises of Federal Shariat Court instead of National Liberary due to security reasons.
During the case proceeding, Barrister Farogh Naseem argued that Musharraf’s associates should also be tried in the case and notices should be issued to individuals whose names were mentioned in the November 3 notification.
He told court that neither those individuals were mentioned in FIA’s investigation report, nor the report has been made public.
The court was informed that Hussain Asghar, a member of inquiry team, wrote a dissenting note but that was not included in the report.
Farogh Naseem requested the court to summon copy of inquiry report.
Former president’s lawyer also urged the court to take action against all those who have violated constitution since March 23, 1956.
On this, Justice Faisal Arab remarked that special court is only hearing the treason case whereas it has not link with the cases relevant to constitutional violations since March 1956.
Pervez Musharraf was indicted in the previous hearing March 31 where he pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The court earlier granted Musharraf exemption from appearing in the hearings for health reasons, saying that he could be ordered to appear whenever required.
Musharraf has been charged with high treason for suspending the constitution when he declared Emergency rule in 2007.
He assumed power in Pakistan in a bloodless coup when he dismissed the government of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999.
Musharraf resigned in 2008 as president and went into exile, but returned to Pakistan in March last year to run in the parliamentary elections. However, a court disqualified him from contesting in the general elections held in May 2013.
