Islamabad: Embattled former dictator Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday appeared for the first time in a Pakistani special court conducting his treason trial but was not charged as the judges said they would decide his petition challenging their mandate.
This is the first time in Pakistan’s 66-year history that a former military ruler is facing trial for treason. If convicted, 70-year-old Musharraf could face life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Musharraf appeared in the special court, formed last year to try him on charges of high treason for imposing emergency in 2007, after skipping all previous hearings. The court has held 22 hearings so far and Musharraf was in the courtroom for hardly 15 minutes.
The three-judge court will announce on Friday it decision on petitions filed by Musharraf seeking his trial by a military court under the Army Act. If it decides that it has the mandate to hear the treason case, the special court will summon Musharraf again.
Musharraf was driven to the court, set up in Islamabad’s heavily guarded “Red Zone”, from a hospital in Rawalpindi in a long motorcade. Authorities put in place tight security, with over 1,200 security personnel deployed along his route. His 17-vehicle cavalcade included a bulletproof car, pilot vehicles and an ambulance.
Over 400 personnel were deployed in and around the court alone. Since January 2, Musharraf has been admitted to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology. He was taken to the hospital after developing heart problems while being driven to court.
“We have proved our respect for the courts today. We have been maintaining that Musharraf is neither shy nor afraid to appear before the court. We had said he will appear as and when required,” Ahmed Raza Kasuri, a key member of Musharraf’s legal team, told reporters outside the special court. He said Musharraf came to the court “even though he was not well”.
“We have argued that further proceedings should take place only after the court decides whether it is competent or an army court (to hear the treason case). You have to decide on the petitions filed against this court,” Kasuri said.
“The court said it will proceed only once it decides. It will give it decision on Friday and if it decides it is competent, then it will summon Musharraf for another day,” he said minutes after Musharraf left the court to head back to the military hospital.
The former President faces treason charges for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in November 2007 and detaining judges of superior courts.
The trial is being conducted at the National Library, which is within the Red Zone that houses important buildings like the Prime Minister’s House, parliament and Supreme Court and the Diplomatic Enclave.
Before Musharraf’s arrival, a bomb disposal squad carried out a thorough check inside the court and jammers were installed. Musharraf faces a threat to his life from the Taliban. Besides the 1,200 security personnel posted along the route, anti-terrorist squad personnel and commandos were deployed.
The special court had summoned Musharraf today and warned that a non-bailable arrest warrant would be issued if he failed to turn up. It had earlier issued a bailable arrest warrant for him. Confusion prevailed before Musharraf’s appearance.
His lawyer Anwar Mansoor said the former army chief was sitting inside his vehicle but police officials were not taking charge of him. Prosecutor Akram Sheikh countered Mansoor by saying Musharraf was a free man and not in custody.
The special court summoned a representative of the Interior Ministry and asked him to ensure that Musharraf was brought into the courtroom by police. (PTI)
