Islamabad: A Pakistani special court Wednesday allowed former dictator general (retd) Pervez Musharraf until December 5 to record his statement in the high treason case against him. However, it clarified that it will only accept the Supreme Court’s directives and was not bound by the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order.
The IHC after hearing the petitions filed by Dubai-based Musharraf and the Pakistan government stopped the special court from issuing the verdict, with instructions to hear out all the parties to ensure a fair trial.
‘Geo News’ reported that a three-member bench of the special court here, headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth, said Thursday that the special tribunal is only bound to obey the Supreme Court’s directives and not the high court’s.
Justice Waqar said the bench will not comment on the IHC’s order. The judge, however, allowed Musharraf, 76, to record his statement by December 5.
“After December 5, we will not give you (Muusharraf) further time,” Justice Seth said, adding that they would hear the case on a daily basis after that date. The judge said that Musharraf could record his statements any time prior to the next hearing.
“We are not bound to implement the IHC’s decision,” said Justice Shahid Karim. “We are only bound by the Supreme Court’s orders,” he added.
“We will not comment on the high court’s decision,” Justice Seth was quoted as saying by ‘Dawn News’.
The special court had November 19 concluded the trial proceedings in the high treason case against Musharraf for declaring a state of emergency November 3, 2007, and had ruled that a verdict would be announced November 28 on the basis of the available record.
The IHC accepted Wednesday the interior ministry’s petition and barred the special court from announcing the verdict. A similar petition filed by Musharraf’s lawyer was disposed of with the court issuing directions on it.
According to the short order, the special court is also ‘expected to take into consideration’ the grounds raised in an application filed by Musharraf seeking his acquittal in the high treason case.
The high treason trial of the former military dictator filed during the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government has been pending since 2013.
Musharraf was booked in the treason case in December 2013. And was indicted March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September the same year.
PTI