Ben Stansall—AFP
Former president’s legal counsel also calls on U.S., Britain and Saudi Arabia to support him by denouncing ‘show trial.’
Lawyers for Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf said Friday a treason charge levied against him was politically motivated and that he would face a “show trial,” urging the U.N. to intervene.
The legal team also called on the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia to denounce Musharraf’s trial to “repay their debt” for his support in the U.S.-led war on terror in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Musharraf overthrew the government of current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless military coup in 1999 and ruled until 2008. His lawyers claim Sharif is using the treason case to get revenge. The 70-year-old ex-commando, who is due to appear before a special court on Dec. 24, is the first former military dictator in Pakistan’s history to face trial for treason.
Musharraf’s barrister Steven Kay told a press conference in London the hearing would be a “stage-managed show trial” with the judges picked by political opponents who are now in power. “What we have here is a case that has started with the hand-picking of judges by the politicians—or a politician, the prime minister—in defiance of any person’s right to a trial that is fair,” Kay told reporters. The trial is an “egregious example of political interference,” he said.
Musharraf returned to Pakistan from self-imposed exile in March and was soon placed under house arrest. The treason accusation relates to his decision in 2007 to impose emergency rule shortly before the Supreme Court was due to decide on the legality of his re-election as president a month earlier, while he was still Army chief.
Kay said the judges selected for the trial would be unable to act impartially—particularly since one of them, Faisal Arab, was sacked by Musharraf’s government. “If you’ve been affected by what took place and then you judge it, there is a conflict of interest because you have an interest in getting retribution,” Kay told reporters.
The legal team has written to United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay and U.N. special rapporteurs calling for the international body to “urgently intervene and ensure that the former president is not subjected to politically motivated charges.”
Lawyer Toby Cadman called on Musharraf’s allies in the “war on terror” to support him, insisting this did not amount to interference in Pakistani justice. “What is important is to ensure that voices of concern are expressed in terms of the charges which the former president faces, and recognition of his contribution to the war on terror,” Cadman said.
2 comments
the trial of Gen.(R) Perwaiz Musharaf for the violation of the constitution of 1973 of Pakistan he imposed emergency on 3rd. Nov. 2007.A high Treason case in a special tribunal-though the fact is that the constitution of 1073 of Pakistan remained under the 58-2B through the 8th.amndment made for the sake,wishand will of the then CMLA Gen. Ziaulhaq who insisted to hold the powers to dissolve the assemblies then he will alloe elections in the country and this act was melafide and later two civilian elected Presidents dissolve the elected Govenments and assemblies hey weree elected by thsoe assemblies this dictatorial power holds the constitution 0f 1973 in one hand against the order,spirit and law in one hand and made theparliamentary system as semipresidential system .on 12th.October 1999 Gen. Perwaiz Musharaf toppled the elected Government and became the chief executive of the country with out imposing martia law though as COAS he took all the powers and dismissed the then elected goernment ,later Apex court ratified his act and allowed himm to amend the constitution besides his demand for it.that the action of 12th. Oct. 1999was not unconstitutional,not illigal because the constitution at that time under the 58-2B,that empowered the president to dissolve the assemblies,and the same on 3rd. Nov.2007 boththe acts of dissolvingthe assemblies by Gen.Zia,Gen.Musharaf,Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Farooq Ahmed Khan Laghari acording to the empowerment of the constitution all powers then not vested into the Parliament ,in the hands of one man the President ,so the Apex court allowed Gen.Musharaf to contest the elections in the Military Uniform as COAS. so he was empowered to impose emergency in the country this act was not unconstitutional because thecountry was running 25 years till the 18th. amendment brought the constitution in its real form in 2010,with out 58-2B. so before any act of any military manruling the country was right accrding to the empowerment by the constitution through 58-2B but it is in the court let the court decide .
the constitution of1973 of Pakistan first violated on 5th.july 1977 when Gen. Ziaulhaq toppled the first elected peoples government and suspended the constitution and brought his rule denying his promise taht the general elections will beheld in tree monts but this became a dream of people of Pakistan till 11years and in 1985 in the country a non party based election were held with a condition that the Martial law will be finished if the non Party based parliament (the main political party PPP boycoted this electon) empowered Gen.Zia to dissolve the assembly. then 8th. amendment made and a cluase introduced 58-2B that empowered the president to dissolve the assembly and he did so. the cnstitution has an intent through its clause 6 for High Treasonand this but necessary to start High Treason case from 5th.july 1977 and those who were responsible should be punished otherwise this would be another violation of the constitution that a case of violation of the same constition is running against a person who if violated after hGen.Zia it is wrong to fill and bandage a little wound on a body and the big wound a big cut where bleeding is hard leave with some excuses or reasons that isunfair and against the soul,spirit and the order of the constitution.or let the court decide /