ISLAMABAD: General (R) Pervez Musharraf, has been asked here today by the Special Court hearing a high treason case against him to record statement by 5th day of December, 2019.
It is pertinent to mention here that yesterday (27th of November, 2019) IHC had barred the Special Court from announcing its ruling.
Adjourning the hearing till 5th of December, the judges directed Musharraf to record his statement before next date. Prosecution has also been asked to appear fully prepared on the next hearing as no request for further time would be entertained.
The Special Court was supposed to issue its ruling today (28th of November, 2019). IHC was hearing petitions filed by Pervez Musharraf and the PTI government to postpone the announcement of the judgement.
Incumbent PTI government had moved the IHC to set aside order of a special court trying the former military ruler for subverting the Constitution in 2007.
Govt. was represented by AAG Sajid Ilyas Bhatti while Musharraf was represented by his advocate Salman Safdar. AAG told Justice Minallah that a notification apropos formation of special court existed.
A relevant piece published earlier:
Sp. court to hear treason case against Pervez Musharraf on daily basis
ISLAMABAD: High treason case against Gen. (R) Pervez Musharraf would be heard on daily basis from 24th of October by a special court here.
During the hearing here today all parties have been directed by a three-member bench led by Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth to submit their written arguments before next date.
The court in the beginning of the hearing granted the plea requesting deferment of the hearing due to illness of General (R) Pervez Musharraf’s counsel Raza Bashir. It is pertinent to mention here that the case was supposed to be heard on daily basis from today (8th day of October, 2019) according to the order of the very court in the last hearing.
General (R) Pervez Musharraf has clamped state of emergency on 3rd day of November 2007 and the high treason case in this respect had been lingering on since December 2013 when he was booked in the case and was indicted on 31st day of March, 2014. He left Pakistan in the month of March, 2016.
High treason case: Court seeks assistance in recording Musharraf’s statement through video link
ISLAMABAD: The special court constituted to hear the high treason case against former president General (retired) Pervez Musharraf sought assistance to record his statement through video link or a commission.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar, heard the case on Tuesday. The bench accepted the credentials of Salman Safdar as Musharraf’s counsel. The court directed a questionnaire to be drawn up for Musharraf.
The defense counsel opposed recording the former military ruler’s statement through video link or a commission. “Pervez Musharraf is ailing. His statement can’t be recorded in his absence here through video link,” counsel Salman maintained. “His presence is mandatory.”
The prosecution’s counsel, however, said the former president doesn’t want to record his statement. “The course of law can’t be hindered. Hence, the court should proceed with the trial of the high treason case,” he said.
The court adjourned the hearing till 28th of March. It wants to determine whether or not Musharraf can record his statement via video link within the parameters set by the law.
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