Special Court Adjourns Pervez Musharraf Treason Trial Till March 21

Fakhir Rizvi Published March 08, 2018 | 10:46 PM

A special court constituted to trial former President Pervez Musharraf on high treason charges for abrogating and subverting Constitution Thursday adjourned hearing till March 21.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 08th Mar, 2018 ) :A special court constituted to trial former President Pervez Musharraf on high treason charges for abrogating and subverting Constitution Thursday adjourned hearing till March 21.

The three-member special court headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising Lahore High Court Chief Justice Yawar Ali and Balochistan High Court Justice Tahira Safdar resumed hearing of the case after almost nine months.

At the outset of proceedings, Barrister Farogh Naseem excused himself from Musharraf's legal team. The court ordered confiscation of Pervez Musharraf's properties. The Interior Ministry submitted a report regarding Musharraf's properties, stating that four of seven properties were owned by the former president.

During the course of proceedings, prosecution team head Akram Sheikh requested the court to expedite the case in view of the Supreme Court's order of February 26, 2016.

He pleaded for a review of the special court's July 2016 order wherein it was held that it could not conduct a trial in the absence of the accused.

Referring to Pakistan's extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh said the government could have stopped Mushrraf from leaving the country. He pleaded the court to order Musharraf's arrest and production in court.

The court inquired from the Federal Investigation Agency officials about the procedure for bringing back an absconder from abroad. The officials replied,"The Interior Ministry sends them a request in this regard on which action is taken." Chief Justice Afridi remarked that the court was ordering the arrest and seizure of Musharraf's properties.

Musharraf's counsel Akhtar Shah, pleaded the court not to order confiscation of Musharraf's properties until March 21, but the court rejected his plea.