High treason case: IHC to hear pleas of Musharraf, Interior Ministry tomorrow

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – A larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) heard the pleas of former president Pervez Musharraf and the Interior Ministry at 12:30pm on Tuesday. The bench comprising of IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani will hear the pleas seeking stay of the reserved verdict to be announced by the special court. The government had filed an application in the Islamabad High Court seeking order to stop the verdict in the high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf. The plea also demanded suspension of the verdict reserved by the anti-terrorism court. It also requested the IHC to stay the ATC proceedings till provision of an opportunity to Pervez Musharraf to defend his case. On November 23, former president Pervez Musharraf had filed a petition in Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging the special court’s decision to reserve its verdict in high treason case against him. In his petition, the former president said that the special court has reserved the judgment of the case on November 19 without hearing his stance. Musharraf has made the federal government, Federal Ministry of Law and Justice, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Registrar Special Court parties in his petition. “I am ailing and staying in foreign country for medical treatment,” the petitioner said. “I could not be able to present my stance in the special court due to my illness,” he further said. The former president pleaded for revision of the case as per the judgments of the Supreme Court and suspension of the special court’s decision about reserving the verdict in the high treason case against him. The former president also sought the court order for postponement of the hearing of the case till he recovers to health. He also sought the court to issue an order for constitution of an impartial medical board for him. Earlier, the trial court had reserved verdict of high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf. During the hearing, the court has remarked that Musharraf’s lawyers can submit their written arguments regarding the case till November 26. Meanwhile, the court will announce its verdict against Musharraf in the high treason case on November 28. On October 24, the government has sacked the 22-member prosecution team handling the high treason case against Musharraf. 92 News has obtained a copy of the notification regarding the sacking of the prosecution team. The Interior Ministry has issued the notification on October 23. The sacked prosecution team includes the research assistant. A s`pecial court rejected former president Pervez Musharraf’s pleas for his acquittal and a delay in the high treason case.