Musharraf trial court order not revenge: Info minister
Government has no link with Musharrafs treatment abroad, says Pervez Rashid.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said that the treason trial of former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf had been initiated on the court order and neither the ruling nor any political party were complainants in the case.
He said the law makes its own way in the civilized countries and same is the situation in Pakistan.
The minister said those violating law and Constitution should not try to drag the institutions into their misdeeds. He said those who were trying to make Musharraf case an issue had been exposed.
He said the government had nothing to do with granting permission to leave the country as the case was sub judice.
Pervaiz Rashid said the civilian rulers and politicians always surrendered to the courts and the dictators refrained to appear before the court.
All including key office holders and administrators of state institutions are bound to follow the rule of law, he added.
Earlier, special court setup to try Pervez Mushrraf rejected a plea pertaining to the virtual house arrest of former president. The plea was made by special prosecutor Akram Sheikh.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Faisal Arab heard the allegations of treason levelled against Pervez Musharraf on Friday.
During the course of proceedings, one of the lawyers presenting Musharraf Advocate Anwar Mansoor said that the November 20 notification to establish special court was in violation of law. He said the cabinet should have been consulted over the formation of special court instead of high court judges.
Musharraf’s counsel also said that the treason case was launched due to personal grudges of PM Nawaz and ex-CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, adding that proceedings should be initiated against all abettors and facilitators of Musharraf when he imposed emergency.
The case was adjourned till January 24.
On Thursday, The special court setup to try Pervez Musharraf ordered to form a medical board to examine former president and present a medical report on January 24.
In its short order, the court said that the arguments of special prosecutor Akram Sheikh will be reviewed after the medical board submits its report. The special court also said that the board should comprise senior doctors of AFIC.
The lawyers for former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf told that the retired general needed medical treatment in the United States.
Musharraf is currently in a military hospital with a heart condition, after falling ill while travelling to the special treason tribunal two weeks ago.
The 70-year-old has yet to appear in person before the three-judge panel, after missing repeated hearings due to security fears and the health scare.
"We have attached a letter with the documents from the doctors of a heart clinic in Texas and they have recommended that he should be shifted to that clinic for further treatment," lawyer Masnoor Ali Khan told the tribunal.
Doctors at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, where Musharraf is being treated, have diagnosed him with coronary artery disease and his lawyers have suggested he should be treated abroad.
There have been rumours for months that a deal would be struck to get Musharraf out of the country before the trial s completion to avoid a destabilising clash between the government and the powerful armed forces.
But he remains under a travel ban which government ministers have repeatedly said they will not lift. Musharraf himself has said he wants to fight and clear his name.
The court had ordered him to appear in person on Thursday, after considering a medical report on his heart complaint.
But Khan said the former commando would not come to court before a ruling on defence objections over the jurisdiction and impartiality of the tribunal.
Musharraf s camp says the treason allegations, which relate to his imposition of emergency rule in November 2007, are politically motivated.
Aside from the treason allegations, Musharraf also faces trial over the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the death of a rebel leader, a deadly raid on a radical mosque and the detention of judges.
