High-treason case: Musharraf’s absence angers court

ISLAMABAD: The Special Court hearing the high-treason case on Monday expressed anger at the absence of accused Pervez Musharraf and summoned the secretary interior on the next date of hearing.

Former military dictator General (R) Pervez Musharraf was declared a proclaimed offender in the high-treason case. A two-member bench of the Special Court, comprising Justice Yawar Ali and Justice Nazar Akbar, resumed hearing on the complaint filed by the former PML-N government seeking initiation of high treason proceedings against him for imposing emergency rule.

When Justice Yawar Ali asked if the accused will appear before the court, Musharraf’s counsel Akhtar Shah told him that his client was ready to appear [before the court] if his security was ensured.

Justice Yawar Ali observed that the court was to record the statement of the accused under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code CrPC.

He said the accused had been declared a proclaimed offender and asked why he was not produced before the court despite that his non-bailable warrants had been issued. The judge asked the counsel if the court had allowed him to represent the accused in the instant matter.

Akhtar Shah replied that the court had allowed him when Barrister Farogh Nasim and Faisal Chaudhry were representing the former president. According to Faisal Chaudhry, a former member of Musharraf’s legal team, Barrister Farogh Nasim had told the court that now Akhtar Shah will represent the accused in the instant matter.

It is pertinent to mention here that earlier Barrister Farogh Nasim as well as Anwar Mansoor Khan represented the accused in the treason case. On Monday, Barrister Farogh Nasim took oath as Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, while Anwar Mansoor Khan is expected to assume charge as Attorney General for Pakistan.

Earlier, the court also inquired as to why Muhammad Akram Sheikh, head of the prosecution team, had not appeared before it. The court was informed that Mr. Sheikh was abroad for medical treatment and he had already stepped down as head of the prosecution team and intimated the interior ministry in this regard.

Meanwhile, Akhtar Shah told the court that he had filed an application on behalf of mother of the accused seeking continuation of pension that was stopped by the authorities. The court however observed that it would be looked into later on and adjourned the hearing until August 27.