Treason case: Musharraf not to be tried in military court
38
ISLAMABAD: The special court constituted to try former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf ruled on Friday that the treason trial of the former president would not take place in a military court and has summoned him before it on March 11, DawnNews reported.
During today's hearing, the bench announced its decision, which had been reserved earlier, of rejecting Musharraf's plea that had challenged the jurisdiction of the special court and had sought to hold the treason trial at a military court.
“This application is dismissed,” Judge Faisal Arab said at the end of today's hearing.
The three-judge bench ruled that he was no longer in the army and that high treason can be tried exclusively in a special court.
“This decision to try Musharraf in a civilian court is factually wrong. The facts have been twisted,” Musharraf's lawyer Ahmad Raza Kasuri told reporters afterwards.
Earlier on Feb 18, Musharraf finally appeared before the special court and was allowed to leave without treason charges having been framed against him.
The defence team had argued that Gen Musharraf should be tried by a military court and not the special court.
The three-judge court, headed by Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court, had deferred the framing of charges and said these would be read out once the court announced its judgment on Friday (today) on whether or not the special court has the jurisdiction to try the retired general for treason.
Musharraf had filed three applications that challenged the appointment of the head of the prosecution team, the establishment and the jurisdiction of the special court.
His team has said more than once that unless the jurisdiction of the court was decided, Gen Musharraf could not be indicted.
The 70-year-old is facing treason charges, which can carry the death penalty, over his imposition of a state of emergency in 2007 while he was president.
The former general has been in a military hospital since falling ill with heart trouble while travelling to court on Jan 2.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (38) Closed
Feb 21, 2014 12:07pm
A good decision. Military dictator should not be leaved unpunished.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 12:46pm
Musharraf is one single person who I and many commoners like myself believe is loyal and patriotic to Pakistan. What a luck he has that he is being tested for treason. He is getting punished for his loyalty towards the country and towards the people of Pakistan. I wish Pakistan could speak for itself.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 12:52pm
Injustice continues.
Long live Pervez Musharraf.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 12:55pm
........so now who is going to bell the cat ?
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 01:40pm
Pakistan is not yet free.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 02:06pm
Very odd What about the two retired Generals who were given to Army for trail last year. It seems one law for Gen Musharaaf and other for the rest.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 02:09pm
Folks Military courts are for civilians and civilians courts are for military.Quote me from the history of Pakistan if any Army personals have ever been tried in military court.. There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 03:22pm
@sudhi:
You sound very naive.
1 He will NOT get a fair trial.
2 This politically motivated.
3 Why is he not being tried from the 1999 fiasco.
4 Imagine where Pakistan would be if he had not taken action in 1999.
5 Every leader we have had has made mistakes, has anyone other than Musharraf admitted to their mistakes.
6 Musharraf would give his life for our country, not make deals and run to Saudi Arabia.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 03:23pm
@sudhi:
Such biased decision was expected from a politicized judiciary. They have probably predecided to judicial murder a dedicated soldier who served the country with his dedicated efforts as a saviour of the country as a soldier and as a leader and head of state.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 04:38pm
The court should announce its decision without conducting any trial bcz it is useless. Clearly it seems the decision is already taken :(
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 05:17pm
@sudhi:
i think along with Pervez Musharraf. another political leader should be taking to trial then it makes fair
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 05:59pm
Why not,This means you do not trust military.He does not trust these judges,like most of the population in country.If these judges have any self respect,they should listen to his genuin complaint.This judgement indicates their bad intensions.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 06:02pm
@Muhammed Ali:
Good assessment. Musharraf is the only educated and sensible leaders we have had since past 40 years. Majority of the rest are corrupt, play dirty politics and have destroyed Pakistan. Musharraf is million times better than the so called democratic RULERS we have and had in the past.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 06:06pm
@Saba:
Most of our politicians and judges are probably not even aware of the meaning of treason.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 07:02pm
Excellent decision; If leaders like Mr. Bhutto can be hanged for nothing, Nawaz Sharif can be tortured, exiled, handcuffed then why can
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 07:25pm
Kudos to Pak judiciary for taking this bold decision. As a matter of fact extremely serious cases like treason committed even by serving military personnel can be tried by the civilian courts.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 07:29pm
A politicized a immature judiciary is showing its vengeance ........ Pathetic
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 07:29pm
I am surprised that people of Pakistan are not coming out to demand end to this vendetta. They are all out on the street when the rate of sugar goes up by 10 paisa, but not on this.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 07:30pm
Adil..You are correct that is why they are calling Ghadari case. Pakistan was in the same situation when Musharraf apply the emergency to control these Taliban as they were getting free by Judges instead of convicted. Musharraf did control the situation and gave awam safety. These crocks are selling Pakistan behind the Curtin of Taliban. Once their agenda is completed (looting and money is off to Swiss) everything will stop. We need Military Coup again ASAP. Wakeup Army and People...Save Pakistan or we will be Somalia soon.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 07:49pm
He was in active military service for the time under review by the special court. Therefore jurisdiction belongs to JAG.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 08:46pm
Musharraf is the only leader who always had Pakistan first slogan in his speeches and interviews. You would never hear Pakistan first slogan from these so called dirty politicians and judges. This country will remain third world country for generations to come unless people of Pakistan wake up from their dreams that were implemented by the mafia politicians, propaganda media and kana dajal Cheap Justice Iftakhar Chudi. It seems like this govt. is also funneling money into Army's top brass to keep their mouth shut what a shame !
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 09:16pm
I think all the corrupt politicians and lawyers/judges have joined hands to run this unfair trial on Gen. Musharraf. Its very obvious that the judges/laywers are themselves commiting Treason by openly violating the Constitution and trying to redefine the definitions of the words used in Article 6.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 09:49pm
@Saba:
very well said saba! some of us dont zero interest in politics but would love to have real leader
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 11:50pm
@geo:
Apparently WE have completely lost the plot. When ppl are talking about MUZAKRAAT every Tom Dick and Harry shouting to crush the TTP. But when Musharff did it in his tenure he is facing courts.
Recommend
0
Feb 21, 2014 11:59pm
@Fatima Ahmad:
'Musharraf is the only educated and sensible leaders we have had...'
What degrees Musharraf has got?
Recommend
0
Feb 22, 2014 12:38am
@Fatima Ahmad:
I fully agree with you. Our present rulers, Zardari and Nawaz Shareef have no sense or interest with the common man of Pakistan. They are unaware of the fact why Pakistan was created. They are just experts in looting country's wealth. Musharraf was an educated and patriot Pakistani. If Pakistani judiciary punish him it will be the worst decision by Judiciary and may be a day when further disintegration of Pakistan will start.
Recommend
0
Feb 22, 2014 01:28am
When this court talks about treason are they aware that every politician and government official have committed act of treason on several occasions, which are still unaccounted for, how about Memo-Gate scandal and other such issues, just concentrate on social uplift programs rather than wasting precious little financial resources on such political matters. How about Judiciary they are also paid from revenue collected from tax payers, so their prime responsibility is discharge matters related to solving the problems of general public.
Recommend
0
Feb 22, 2014 02:25am
His should be punished for abrogating the constitution. If that entails death panelty then so be it. That will put an end to dictorial rule in Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Feb 22, 2014 03:16am
He can not be tried in the military court, since the so called military top brass and juniors also participated in the coup! Should the entire military be court martialed and disbanded? No sir, it is important that the judiciary provide a verdict if the military coup tantamounts to an act of treason which the former military chief committed.
Rex Minor
Recommend
0
Feb 22, 2014 05:48am
This is silly , I would think anywhere else in the world it would be a military court how would decide a case for treason especially for an ex military person.
You just cannot set up a special court and then try someone for treason, thats called a witch hunt.
Recommend
0
Feb 23, 2014 03:35am
@sudhi:
I coudn't agree more.
Recommend
0
Feb 23, 2014 10:21pm
@Frank:
What else can be expected from Nawaz and Zardari? Both busy filling their pockets. They will never let Imran Khan and Musharraf compete with them, because they know that both IK and Musharraf are popular among the masses.
Recommend
0
Feb 23, 2014 10:23pm
@Last Word:
Go read the meaning of treason. The way its being interpreted it may apply on you too.
Recommend
0
Feb 23, 2014 10:28pm
@Saba:
This is Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan, what else can we expect from a mediocre revengeful person.
Recommend
0
Feb 24, 2014 03:42am
@Rizwan:
and it is a witch hunt by our beloved PM Nawaz Sharif and Iftikhar Chaudry.
Recommend
0
Feb 24, 2014 03:57am
@Hassan:
Hundreds and thousands of our politicians and others will fall under the category.
Recommend
0
Feb 24, 2014 04:00am
@Mustafa:
More than majority of our politicians.
Recommend
0
Feb 24, 2014 04:01am
@marghoob ahmed siddiqui:
Nawaz Sharif doesn't care. He will be long gone to London.
Recommend
0
