Former Pakistan President / General Pervez Musharraf May Face Treason Charges.

July 22 (Bloomberg) -- Former Pakistan president and army General Pervez Musharraf was today ordered to appear before the Supreme Court next week to explain why he imposed emergency rule in 2007 and dismissed senior judges.

Pakistans army has governed the country for 32 of its 62 years, and todays summons is the first time a former military ruler has been called to account in court for his actions in power. Musharraf, who stepped down as president in August 2008 to avoid impeachment proceedings, was summoned to appear July 29, said Rashid A. Rizvi, a lawyer who was at the court.

The hearing may lead to a treason charge against Musharraf and a new round in Pakistans long power struggle between civilian and military institutions. The Supreme Court has called Musharrafs November 2007 suspension of the constitution illegal, a point that Musharraf conceded in a BBC interview that month.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry seems to be quite serious about breaking Pakistans judicial precedent of never prosecuting military rulers, said Sajjad Naseer, a political science professor at the Lahore School of Economics. Trying Musharraf would be an important step in establishing civilian supremacy over the military, he said.

Musharraf took power in a 1999 coup. The man he ousted and exiled, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has led public calls for Musharraf to be tried for treason.

While the Supreme Court procedure will not consider criminal charges, a formal ruling that Musharraf acted unconstitutionally may encourage trial courts to consider criminal charges, said Aitzaz Ahsan, the leader of a nationwide lawyers movement that helped force Musharrafs ouster.

London Visit

The former president may send a lawyer to represent him before the 14-member panel of judges that issued todays order, said Malik Abdul Qayyum, the former attorney general in Musharrafs administration. Musharraf is visiting London and has not been served with any formal summons, said his Islamabad- based attorney, Muhammad Ali Saif.

Let the court try to locate him and present him with a summons and get a receipt, and then he will decide his response, Saif said in a telephone interview.

Increased public opposition to military rule, plus Musharrafs political isolation, may increase the chances of his being prosecuted, said Naseer. Still, as treason carries the death penalty a former army chiefs neck is involved, and it is not clear how far the politically powerful army will let the court pursue him, he said.

The Supreme Court panel is headed by Chaudhry, whose confrontation with Musharraf in 2007 ignited nationwide demonstrations that ultimately helped force the general from office. Musharraf has said he suspended the constitution and dismissed Chaudhry and other judges because the Supreme Court was overstepping its authority and interfering in executive decisions.

More at http://news.bbc.co.uk

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Former
• Pakistan
• President
• General
• Pervez
• Musharraf
• May
• Face
• Treason
• Charges
• supreme
• court
• military
• coup
• Sadr-e-Mumlikat
• Benazir
• Bhutto
• bbc
• bloomberg

[lovemusharraf]

We love you msharraf

[yahoovisitor]

Providing justice to each individual irrespective of wealth & color means building a sense of protection resulting in sense of responsibility & devotion in him later on leading to the development of that particular institute or country. But the political filth of Pakistan cant afford to do so. As they are the people of Meer Jafar/Meer Sadiq Community ready to be auctioned for their personal interests & to destroy Pakistan in all fields of life. If justice is applied as above they are nowhere.

[farazkhii]

Musharraf Zindbad.

Pakistan bachana hai, PPP or Nawaz ko Pakistan ki siasat se Mukana hai.

Pakistan Zindabad.

[Idolbreakr]

You stupid fart you would have to do more than farting with your mouth to defend the traitor now!

[mixyguy6]

Propaganda video..my comment being removed prove it. It's another Zionist plot to involve Pakistan and start a new war based on lies.

[ishqtube]

How this court can trial him it is conterovecial.Cheif Justice taking revenge.Recently he freed nawaz sharif from all casses is part of plan.Every body new they had done so many blonders in their terms.now white coller gifted by cheif justice.Every action musharraf took was in the intrest of pakistan.When some body creat so much trouble in functioning of government you have to bend your finger.He was truely a patriotic leader and his every action wan in line with his Pakistan First philosphy.

[SiNNer420]

this sell out mother fucker should be publicly lynched after we have humiliated him enuff on the streets of Pakistan grab this motherfucker's collar and slap him non stop so in future next general would think twice before suspending our constitution for personal gain

fuck u mush

payback is a bitch

unleash interpol on him if he doesn't come back voluntarily

[busola100]

I think he was not a bad and was a patriotic president, but in his last year he became obsessed to cling to power, I wish him best, but above all long live Pakistan