Pervez Musharraf should face open trial: Aitzaz Ahsan

  • November 22, 2013, 1:57 pm
  • National News
  • 85 Views

ISLAMABAD, Nov 21 (INP): Senior lawyer and central leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Aitzaz Ahsan on Thursday said that there should be an open trial of the former president Pervez Musharraf on high reason charges.

Talking to media persons outside Supreme Court, Aitzaz Ahsan claimed that Musharraf’s trial is impossible before the outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s retirement. The army chief will retire on November 29.

The government has constituted a three-member special court to try the former army chief for high treason case. Justice Faisal Arab, Justice Tahira Safdar and Justice Yawar Ali have been named for the court.

Aitzaz Ahsan said that there should be an open trial, saying that Musharraf suspended the Constitution to impose state of emergency in 2007.

He said that the case would not be concluded so soon since prosecutors have enough evidences against Musharraf.

He said that former president Pervez Musharraf used “I,I and I” for several times while imposing emergency and suspended constitution of the country, adding that this “I” of Musharraf could become strong evidence against him.

He predicted that Musharraf would move petition in the Supreme Court and challenge the formation of the special court through his lawyers.

On Wednesday, Attorney General Munir A.Malik said in a media talk in Islamabad that treason in Pakistan is punishable with death penalty or life imprisonment, however, the president of Pakistan is authorized to pardon the convict.