Pakistan to put Musharraf on trial for high treason

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday announced its decision to try embattled former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for high treason for imposing emergency rule in 2007, making him the first individual to be tried under the offence, punishable by death or life imprisonment.

"Following the judgement of the Supreme Court and a report submitted by an inquiry committee, it has been decided to initiate proceedings against General Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 (for high treason) of the Constitution," Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a press conference here.

"It is happening for the first time in the history of Pakistan and the decision has been taken in the national

interest," Nisar said.

He said the government will tomorrow write a letter to the Chief Justice to set up a three-member commission to try

70-year-old Musharraf.

The Minister said Musharraf would have to be held accountable for violating the Constitution. Nisar said an Inquiry Committee set up on June 26 in the wake of a Supreme Court decision has completed its task.

He said the committee had submitted its report to the government on Saturday and in the light of the report a case under Article-6 of the Constitution can be initiated against Musharraf.

The government has studied the report and decided to complain to the Chief Justice to form a three-member commission so that a case can formally be initiated against Musharraf under Article-6, Nisar said. He said the Chief Justice will identify three High Courts and one Judge from each from these courts will be taken in the commission.

A Special Public Prosecutor will be nominated tomorrow itself for the case, Nisar said. He said Musharraf had refused to cooperate with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team but the agency has been able to collect a lot of evidence.

He stressed that the government does not have any personal vendetta against Musharraf, who had overthrown the Nawaz Sharif government in a coup in 1999. Musharraf's party spokesperson Aasia Ishaque questioned the timing of the government's move.

"This is an attempt by the government to divert the attention of the media from the sectarian violence that had erupted in Rawalpindi. The government has been selling Musharraf 'churan' for the past six months," she told PTI, stressing that the former President will fight all cases against him.