IHC orders the Special court that it should announce its verdict after hearing Pervez Musharraf in high treason case.
Islamabad: (Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Nov 27th, 2019) Islamabad High Court on Wednesday barred Speical Court from announcing its reserved against former army ruler Pervez Musharraf in high treason case.
An IHC full bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani announced the judgment on maintainability of the petitions moved by Interior ministry and former army Chief Pervez Musharraf challenging reserved verdict of the special court and the summary for its establishment.
Special Court was due to announce its reserved verdict on Thursdaya on Nov 28 against former army ruler Pervez Musharraf over high treason charges.
It is an interesting co-incidence that the superior courts are taking up the cases of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf and incumbent Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Yesterday, additional Attorney General (AAG) Tariq Mehmood Khokhar did not argue the petition because of his other engagements. Another AAG Sajid Ilyas Bhatti represented the interior ministry and pleaded the court for some time for preparation as he was not aware of the facts of the case.
During the hearing, the IHC bench asked AAG Bhatti if the government had notified the special court in the gazette or otherwise, he replied that since he was asked to appear before the court only on half-an-hour notice, he was not aware of the facts of the case. On it, the court summoned the relevant record from the law secretary. The court, however, did not hear the arguments of Barrister Salman Safdar, the counsel for former army general Musharraf, observing that the court was with consistent view that an absconder could not be represented. On it, the counsel said that the right of the lawyer could not be violated because of the absconding of the client. At this, the court adjourned further hearing till Wednesday (today).
It may be mentioned here that Mohammad Akram Sheikh, the senior lawyer, who made head of the prosecution team resigned from the team unilaterally despite that the ministry wanted him to conclude the case.
Former army ruler Pervez Musharraf left the country in March 2016 after the interior ministry removed his name from the Exit Control List, allowed him to travel abroad for medical treatment. However, Musharraf failed to return to face the process of law and the trial court finally declared him a proclaimed offender.
Later, on Oct 24, ruling PTI denotified the prosecution team in the high treason case against Gen Musharraf. Former Federal law minister Dr Farogh Nasim and incumbent Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan represented the former military ruler in the case.
