Ex-Musharraf allies, others criticize treason trial

KARACHI: As Pervez Musharraf got exemption on Monday from appearing before a special court set up to hold treason trial against him for proclamation of emergency on November 3 2007, a number of politicians raised doubts over the trial of former military dictator under treason for November 3 emergency.

So far, leaders from the top political parties including the PPP, MQM, JUI-F and PML-Q have objected over the trial, saying that the trial should start from October 1999.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah said that all those who supported Pervez Musharraf should also be held accountable since punishment to an individual would not be acceptable for the world.

Speaking to media, he said that October 12 toppling of Nawaz- government was bigger crime than November 3 proclamation of emergency.

Shah said that the trial seemed to be a tactic to give a safe passage to a group of people including judges and generals who supported Musharraf after the ouster of Nawaz Sharif government.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and JUI-F’s Maulana Abdul Ghaffoor Haidri also called on the government to initiate trial from October, 12, 1999.

Shujaat said rather than using the word ‘treason’ in Pervez Musharraf’s case, a better choice would be ‘violator of Constitution’.

He explained that someone may be accused of treason if he sells his loyalty to an enemy state. “The word ‘treason’ should not be part of the Constitution. It should be replaced with ‘violator of Constitution’,” he maintained.

Chaudhry Shujaat recalled that oaths were also taken from the so-called ‘traitor’ in the recent past.

He said if the treason trial is to be carried out then it should be initiated from October 12. Even if the trial is to be started from November 3, 2007, it would affect hundreds of individuals including former army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and PML-Q leader Pervez Elahi.