Pakistan’s new government led by his ‘enemy’ Nawaz Sharif will hold trial of country’s former military ruler Parvez Musharraf over charges of treason.

Islamabad, May 28/Nationalturk – In what cannot be a good news for former Pakistan military ruler General (Retd) Parvez Musharraf, presently under detention, Pakistan’s new government led by his ‘enemy’ Nawaz Sharif will hold trial of Musharraf over charges of treason.

“Our party (PML-N) will pursue the treason case against Musharraf because he broke the law and should face the music,” PML-N senator and close aide of designate PM Nawaz Sharif, Tariq Azeem was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s newspaper, The Dawn.

Rejecting perception that his party (PML-N) would refrain from initiating treason proceedings against Musharraf under Article 6 of the constitution, he said, “Nobody is above the law. A person who violated the constitution must be tried.”

Asked whether Nawaz Sharif, PML-N president and would be Prime Minister, had discussed the issue with leaders of his party, Azeem said, “Nawaz has discussed Musharraf issue with party members and he is very clear about his trial for violating the constitution.”

PML-N won the general election and Sharif is set to become the prime minister for a record third term.

Caretaker govt refused to initiate treason proceedings against Musharraf

Pakistan’s caretaker government, which supervised election, had told the Supreme Court, which is hearing treason case against Musharraf,  last month that it could not initiate proceedings against Musharraf under Article 6 as it had a limited mandate.

“The caretaker set-up should avoid taking any controversial step and should not commit any process that is not reversible by the incoming elected government,” it had submitted in the court.

The former military ruler and president has been detained in his farmhouse at Chak Shehzad, which has been declared a sub-jail.

Musharraf  is facing charges over 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, killing of tribal leader Akbar Bugti in a 2006 military operation and detention of dozens of judges during 2007 emergency.

‘Very difficult option for new government’

Meanwhile, political observers opine that it will be very difficult for incoming PML-N government to decide whether to go for Musharraf’s treason trial under Article 6 or not to do so.

“If PML-N goes ahead with Musharraf’s trial, it runs the risk of enraging Pakistan’s powerful military establishment. If not, then it loses the moral high ground it has maintained for a decade,” they said.

There are also speculations that Musharraf may be granted safe exit from Pakistan.

Advocate Aslam Ghumman, who had filed a petition relating to the judges’ detention, has already withdrawn his complaint against Musharraf.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News

 

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