Islamabad: The Pakistan government has finalised the chargesheet in a case of high treason against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, according to a media report today.
The government plans to charge 70-year-old Musharraf for “abrogating, subverting, suspending, holding in abeyance and attempting to conspire against the 1973 Constitution” by declaring emergency and overthrowing the superior judiciary in November 2007.
Musharraf is the first Pakistani military ruler to be charged for treason, and a conviction could lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty.
The government has not named any co-accused in the case, the influential Dawn newspaper reported. This is despite the fact that clause 2 of Article 6 of the Constitution - which covers treason - states that “any person aiding or abetting or collaborating the acts mentioned in clause 1 shall likewise be guilty of high treason”.
The report said a formal complaint will be filed in the three-judge special court set up to try Musharraf for treason. Quoting from the complaint, the Dawn reported it does not blame Musharraf for the 1999 military coup that led to the ouster of a government headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Sources said the complaint No 01/2013 will be submitted to the special court's registrar through the chief of the Federal Investigation Agency and the Interior Secretary. The Interior Secretary will act as complainant and authorise the FIA to file the complaint, the report said.
The special court was constituted by Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry at the government's request. Musharraf, who ruled for 10 years, has been accused of committing all five acts of high treason - he abrogated, subverted, suspended and held the Constitution in abeyance or attempted or conspired to do so.
The complaint states Musharraf issued a proclamation of emergency on November 3, 2007, in his capacity as army chief and in his own name to hold the Constitution in abeyance. A copy of the proclamation signed by Musharraf is part of the complaint.
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