The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday rejected a plea to arrest former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and ordered his counsel to submit his reply by April 15 in the ongoing treason case against the former military ruler.
Musharraf’s counsel Barrister Ahmed Raza Kasuri sought six-week time for submission of his reply but the court did not agree. The court also rejected one of the petitioners’ plea to arrest Musharraf.
The Supreme Court has been hearing five identical petitions against Musharraf seeking his trial under article 6 of the Constitution for imposing the state of emergency in 2007.
This is the first time in the country’s history that the Supreme Court has summoned a former military ruler over allegations of misconduct.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, is hearing the petitions.
During the hearing, Kasuri said that Musharraf has returned to take the country of present crisis, adding that Interpol had also rejected demands to issue warrants against Musharraf.
Kasuri said this is a unique case in which very crucial constitutional issues will come under discussion. It was for this reason; he sought six-week time to submit the reply in this case.
But the court did not agree with Kasuri’s argument.
On Monday, the apex court summoned the former president to appear before it today and face charges of high treason. The court also barred him from leaving the country.
Musharraf said he would not appear personally in the Supreme Court on Tuesday due to security issue.
“I have directed my panel of eminent lawyers to forcefully represent me in the Supreme Court of Pakistan tomorrow… These cases do not frighten me and I will fight all the cases in the court of law!” Gen Musharraf’s Facebook account quoted him as saying.
The hearing was adjourned till April 15.