Special court resumes Pervez Musharraf's treason trial

ISLAMABAD: A special court, constituted to try Pakistan's former military dictator Pervez Musharraf for high treason, today resumed hearing in the high profile case.

The three-member court, headed by Justice Faisal Arab, heard the arguments by defence counsel Anwar Mansoor over the appointment of government prosecutor. Mansoor said prosecutor Akram Sheikh had been linked with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his partiality was conspicuous.

He said the role of a prosecutor was to assist the court, and not to seek punishment. Sheikh alleged that lawyers of 70-year-old Musharraf were using delaying tactics in the case. He offered to detach himself from the hearing on condition that Musharraf appeared in the court.

Justice Arab said the issue was of personal nature rather than judicial and the court would not take it into consideration. The defence counsel also said a plea had been filed to rectify the court's decision as it earlier mentioned that Musharraf did not want to appear before the court. He claimed his client wanted to appear before the court but due to certain security threats he could not do so. On this, Justice Arab remarked that if it is said that the accused did not want to appear before the court due to security concerns, it implied that he did not intend to do it.

The court last heard the matter on March 14 when a conditional non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against Musharraf. The court directed authorities to implement the arrest warrant on March 31 in case Musharraf fails to appear before the court. Today's hearing was adjourned till tomorrow when further arguments would be held against the appointment of the prosecutor.

Musharraf is facing treason charges for suspending and abrogating the constitution and imposing emergency in 2007. This is the first time in Pakistan's history that a former military ruler has been put on trial for treason. If convicted, Musharraf could get life imprisonment or death penalty.