Sharif orders FIA to start treason probe of Musharraf
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ISLAMABAD: The federal government has initiated the process of filing a high treason case against former military dictator General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ordered the Interior Secretary in writing to ask the Director General of the Federal Investigative Authority to conduct an inquiry on an emergency basis into the acts of Musharraf on November 3, 2007, when he held the constitution in abeyance, declared emergency and sacked judges of the superior courts.
In a written reply to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Attorney General Munir Malik detailed the federal government’s line of action in filing a complaint against Musharraf for his “unconstitutional actions”.
A three member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, had asked the federal government to specify what steps it would take to file a complaint against Musharraf under Article 6 of the constitution.
The reply from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif states that he has ordered the Secretary Interior to formally direct the DG Federal Investigation Agency to constitute a special investigation team to commence “an inquiry and investigations in relation to the acts of General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf of November 3, 2007 that may amount to high treason under Article 6 of the constitution and to finalise as expeditiously as possible the time of action and statement of the case to be put up by the federal government before the Supreme Court.”
The reply submitted by the federal government also states in order to ensure expeditious completion of inquiry and investigation, the prime minister is also considering forming a commission to oversee and monitor the progress of the proceedings.
“On the completion of the investigations, the federal government shall file the requisite complaint under section 5 of the Criminal Law Amendment (Special Courts Act, 1976) and take steps to constitute the special court for the trial of the offense,” the reply said.
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Comments (42) Closed
Jun 26, 2013 05:49pm
Why not try him for the 1999 Military Coup? is NS afraid that it might include too many personalities??
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Jun 26, 2013 05:52pm
Personal vendetta and nothing else. We see how long our army can take it.
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Jun 26, 2013 05:53pm
When CJP will take sue moto for the hijacking of coas's plane which was also carrying children of Karachi Grammer School went to take part in the swimming competition in Colombo. ? Answer is never.
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Jun 26, 2013 06:21pm
Simply paying the price for not being the son of the soil !!!
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Jun 26, 2013 06:53pm
The acts of General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf of November 3, 2007 does not amount to high treason under Article 6 in force during 2007, since the former did not abrogate the constitution, only held in abeyance ( meaning suspended temporarily).
I reproduce the article in question.
High treason
6. (1) Any person who abrogates or attempts or conspires to abrogate, subverts or attempts or conspires to subvert the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by other un- constitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.
(2) Any person aiding or abetting the acts mentioned in clause (1) shall likewise be guilty of high treason.
(3) (Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) shall by law provide for the punishment of persons found guilty of high treason.
The phrase
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Jun 26, 2013 06:50pm
PM and his expert team is creating new front with retired military personals from generals to ranks. Retired can not afford this. PM has not learnt from his exile. This is clear conflict between active and retiored military. Please save Pakistan. PM should put himself in Court for the money he took to steel the 1990 election. PM is ziddi person and Pakistan can not afford him as PM. PMLN can bring an other one. Please print my views thank you.
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Jun 26, 2013 07:28pm
it must be, why targeting only one person?.I think let us not discuss this issue too much. It is unnecessary. I feel that there will be a kangroo trial and after that he will be sent abroad
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Jun 26, 2013 07:56pm
This looks like a simple case of vindictiveness on the part of Sharif. What a waste of time when the country needs the government to attend to more important matters, such as employment, housing, education, lawlessness, etc. The more things change, the more they remain the same, especially in Pakistan!!!
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Jun 26, 2013 08:04pm
It may seem Pakistan has become a battlefield of politicians that may ultimately lead to greater problems possibly wide spread bloodshed. Some may feel it is time for military to step in, bringing peace and stability in Pakistan and then turn over Pakistan to those who can start a new page of peace and reconciliation. I pray to Allah to perform a miracle at this crtical time in Pakistan.
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Jun 26, 2013 08:06pm
NS showing his true colors. Revenge time! Country can stay on its downward spiral.
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Jun 26, 2013 08:13pm
Mr. Nawaz Sharif playing with fire and always in hurry and it is very interesting that the country's big thief who happens to the President of Pakistan is spared of misdeeds who plunged Pakistan to it's never ending troubles very very disturbing and meaningful that he calls him the elected President because he is the one who bailed him out for third term through a controversial amendment in to the constitution Mr. Sharif it is was you who picked Mr.Musharaf from out of his seniority who was not even capable for an army chief are you not ashamed of your actions by then and now too what happened to your fake promises about power outages and the rest.
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Jun 26, 2013 08:20pm
Congratulations to Nawaz Sharif and the people of Pakistan. The first high level action that NS decides to take has nothing to do with what will provide relief from energy shortage, terrorism, lack of jobs, contaminated water, karachi and balochistan burning. No his first major act, and that too with expediency, is to cool his burning venegeance against Musharraf. Now he can divert the attention of the country from his incompetence. BTW, Dawn writers, we the people of Pakistan in a majority don't consider Musharraf a dictator as you continue to refer to him, but a patriot, a war soldier, and a former president who did a lot more for the country than the ones you refer to with respect.
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Jun 26, 2013 08:36pm
Due process of law must be carried out and then, if proven guilty, the criminal party must be punished.
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Jun 26, 2013 08:50pm
why sharif is ordering an agency to persecute? let them do their work and if musharraf is guilty he should face the consequences. Sadly, nothing has changed in Pakistan.
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Jun 26, 2013 08:49pm
Mr Nawaz Sharif has taken the dictation from media and not using his mind as always.
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Jun 26, 2013 09:20pm
Sharif sahib, first try to resolve the country's two biggest problems, lack of law and order and extensive load shedding before trying to settle personal scores.
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Jun 26, 2013 09:22pm
Once again, this will sink Nawaz Sharif. Don't know why he does not learn from his past mistakes or from Zardari who held his position for 5 years because of reconcilliation rather than clashes with opponents. Nawaz thinks he can get away with this during the honeymoon period. But hs wrong and will only help strengthen Musharraf. My advice, stay away from this daldal and concentrate on solving the real problems of Pakistan.
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Jun 26, 2013 09:49pm
Mr. Sharif forgot that votes he got also have soft corner for Musharraf. In last election, PML-Q had taken more votes than PML-N. These voters returned to PML-N because PML-Q had joined hands with PPP.
We all know that in Musharraf era, we were economically better, no IMF, $16billion foreign reserve and energy crisis in control. Starting treason case against Mr. Musharraf is not a popular move. IMO, first bad move by Nawaz Sharif.
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Jun 26, 2013 09:54pm
Bhaijan Nawaz, for God's sake let's get on to doing some real work than getting bogged down with this Musharaf campaign which is not going to pull Pakistan out of its current dire straits.
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Jun 26, 2013 10:43pm
Such are the reasons and times when army has to intervene and put such selfish politicians on a leash! do we expect anything from general K or the ISI? If the general had any guts zardari and co would not have been allowed to rip the country apart with corruption. Zardari's was the most corrupt govt. of all times in the country's history. The general and co kept watching while the country was being looted by these thugs. They say they let it happen in the so called name of democracy!! That is a big joke. The army's job is to protect the country from internal or external threats...was there ever a bigger threat than what zardari and his goons did to us? wake up general...or these corrupt politicians will find a reason to hang you too...in the name of democracy!!
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Jun 26, 2013 10:56pm
Well if the report does not acknowledge that Nawaz Shareef ordered the plane to be prevented from landing in Pakistan. Then it's biased. If it does, then will law & justice should be above everyone.
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Jun 26, 2013 11:16pm
It always remain troublesome for me to understand why old files are required to open when time has passed. we have many other problems to focus, but no one put consideration on those tasks, what happened is part of past and what is going on is our present that will design our future, but honestly speaking, I don't feel shy sharing with you people that we human being especially Pakistani waste our time in thinking about past and aimless planning about future, I don't know what we get by doing so, why we should interfere in other people puzzle box and doing so we try to fit ourselves forgetting that other's puzzle box is specific for them, we are not suitable there, just like specific key opens a specific lock, just like that every person has its own puzzle box solved by himself... Alas, being coming in power of new government there is no revolution, no change no repairing just old dated fashion is going to repeat. Tell me honestly, when someone in power is doing wrong practice why we have nap at that time, and after passing years we recall that incident and try to prove ??? I don't no what?
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Jun 26, 2013 11:23pm
Musharraf has made mistakes and has apologised for that at the moment sharifs should try to sort out the shortage of power and the problem of terrorism
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Jun 26, 2013 11:41pm
The drama starts as only Nov. 3, 2007 is going to be investigated and Oct. 12, 1999 is left as it never happened. if this govt. wants to do something then it should start from Oct. 12, 1999 or leave this futile altogether.
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Jun 27, 2013 12:32am
Premiership & presidential position do not fall in the career of the generals unless thy snatch it. This opportunist window has to be shut for ever. Those collaborators who find their tail coming under the foot one way or other will cry foul and try to sweep all the mess under the carpet as usual. PML-N must not falter and complete full circle. Musharraf is guilty of mutiple crimes. He should also be tried for human trafficking for money, burning of lawyers in their offices in Karachi, attack on convoy of the Chief Justice in Karachi and attack on procession of BB in Karachi.
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Jun 27, 2013 02:24am
If Musharraf is guilty of violating the constitution so were all the other military rulers including "Mard e Momin" Zia-ul-Haq. Nawaz Sharif's entry into politics at the behest of Generals Jilani and Zia is widely acknowledged. He was a prodigy of the Generals.
Any neutral observer would obviously see this as personally motivated to settle old scores; unless of course he came forward and condemned his own mentor Zia.
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Jun 27, 2013 02:53am
It was a big mistake of Musharraf to allow Nawaz Sharif to escape to Saudi Arabia and to enter into a bad deal with PPP. He missed an excellent opportunity to get rid of corrupt politicians and government officials. Now he will suffer as a result of those compromises. The present PML-N set-up is not made of innocent people they represent the same mind-set which resulted in the debacle of East Pakistan. Fall of Decca continues to benefit Punjab, no wonder the general who was one of the major contributors to that catastrophe was blessed and appointed as Governor of Punjab. Now that Election Commission has allowed corrupt and questionable people to once again come to power this could be considered as an end.
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Jun 27, 2013 02:52am
Well done PM. The process must be started, start from 2007 and go back uptill 1977.
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Jun 27, 2013 03:54am
He should also start a probe on how he got into power the last two times too & then taking an oath
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Jun 27, 2013 05:29am
@Faran Ali:
Because he was not the prime part of that coup. He was hanging in the air at the mercy of NS. On the ground Usmani, Mehmood and other generals thrown out NS. They were the principal players. This is the reason CJP is avoiding to push Mush in the business. CJP will also be convicted too if he makes Oct 1999 as the coup date. Those core commanders were furious on the humiliation of Jehangir Karamat's way of exit by NS and already decided that time if it will be tried to be repeated NS will be treated with iron fist.
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Jun 27, 2013 05:30am
This is shameful way of political leaders of Pakistan,they are never answerable for their deeds,they are the rich brag that can force things in their way and wish,its an open pattern of politicians in Pakistan where there is no law for politicians, Its literally shameful and scandalous for the current government.
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Jun 27, 2013 06:18am
@Em Moosa: Its unfortunate & pathetic.
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Jun 27, 2013 06:23am
@Faran Ali: The army is 'not subject to the constitution', so a coup is OK; but an act as a civilian President IS subject to the constitution. BUT if properly documented even this 'treason' case will fall apart as Musharraf (like POTUS Bush) will have covered his behind in structure-procedure
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Jun 27, 2013 06:42am
I had thought NS had matured and learnt some lesson but alas no hope here. Is this all more important than electricity or economic revival. No wonder Army gets involved when we have geniuses like NS running the show.
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Jun 27, 2013 07:12am
Musharraf should start treason cases on nawaz
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Jun 27, 2013 08:29am
the person who gave shutup call to every person speaking against Pakistan at every forum is dealt with these charges and all other big fishes who spoiled our country are out enjoying. the CJ is either blind or he is showing his personell grudges
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Jun 27, 2013 09:51am
@Faran Ali:
The petition carries names of retired and serving high ranking military men, superior courts
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Jun 27, 2013 10:09am
It is a constitutional provision. The court has given ruling against it and that is all. It is like PPP government imposed Governor rule in Punjab & court scrapped it. So where is the treason case against PPP government?
State of Pakistan is not meant forsettling personal vendettas.
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Jun 27, 2013 10:37am
@Em Moosa:
O YAR KIYA HOWA
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Jun 27, 2013 11:10am
I think sharif is risking his government again by taking a self reveng. i dont see anything positive thinking in the interest of this case. I'm very positive that army is going to kick his butt once again and very soon.
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Jun 27, 2013 11:11am
What I belive Mr. Prime Minister should not waste time directly in Mushraf treason case instead he should focus on country problem and for benefit of country people, which will help him in future.
Leave the things on Court.
Democracy will take reveange itself.
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Jun 28, 2013 07:02am
@Partner: Further to what you wrote, some more relevant information here:
Law of High Treason as in Article 6 of Constitution of Pakistan :
(1) Any person who abrogates or attempts or conspires to abrogate, subverts or attempts or conspires to subvert the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.
(2) Any person aiding or abetting the acts mentioned in clause (1) shall likewise be guilty of high treason.
Is there anyone who aided and abated the alleged act of treason who should also be tried on the same charge?
On 13 May 2000, Pakistan
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