LHC seeks record in Musharraf's treason case

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday while hearing a petition of former president Pakistan Gen Pervaiz Musharraf (retd) directed the federal government to explain as to how the case against former president falls under the ambit of high treason.

The court also directed the government to file the record of the case by December 03. The petitioner had challenged the formation of the special court conducting trial of Musharraf on charges of high treason for declaring a state of emergency on November 3, 2007, and holding the constitution in abeyance.

The court asked Musharraf's counsel that Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted desired relief to his client. The lawyer, however, replied that the instant petition carried different law points from the filed by the ministry of interior in the IHC.

To a court's query, the petitioner's counsel admitted that the IHC had stopped special court from pronouncing judgment and right of fair trial had also been permitted to his client.

Pervez Musharraf in his petition said that the special court has reserved the judgment of the case without hearing his stance. He also questioned the formation of special court and said that the cabinet had not sanctioned constitution of the special court as the then prime minister alone had granted approval.

A three-judge IHC bench on Wednesday had set aside the order of the special court to pronounce its verdict and directed it to hear all sides before deciding the case.