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High treason case: Special court's formation challenged in LHC

High treason case: Special court's formation challenged in LHC
December 14, 2019
LAHORE (92 News) – The formation of a special court in the high treason case has been challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday. Former president Pervez Musharraf’s counsel Khawaja Tariq Raheem, in a petition, contended that the formation of the special court is an unconstitutional step. He stated that the federal cabinet’s approval was not obtained to try the high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf. “The former prime minister had formed the special court on his discretion,” he said. He prayed to court to declare the proceedings of the special court unconstitutional. On December 12, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order stopping the special court to announce the verdict on the high treason case has been challenged in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. In the petition, it has been stated that the High Court has no power to interfere in the matters of the special court. The order, the petition says, stopping the special court from announcing the verdict and forming a new prosecution team is illegal.  On December 5, the special court had given 12 days to the new prosecution team to prepare the high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf. Justice Seth Waqar remarked that the court will announce the verdict after hearing the arguments on December 17. Justice Nazar Akbar remarked that they are following the Supreme Court and not angry with anyone. On December 4, the federal government had appointed advocate Ali Zia Bajwa as a new prosecutor in the high treason case against former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. According to a notification, Ali Zia Bajwa will represent the prosecution side as an assistant attorney general prosecution before a special court. Earlier, a larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had stopped the special court from announcing the verdict in the high treason case against Musharraf. The court ordered the special court to appoint the prosecutor and announce the verdict after listening to all parties.