IHC halts special court verdict, orders hearing Musharraf's stance

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday granted a plea of the Interior Ministry and halted the special court from announcing the final verdict in breach of the constitution case against former president Pervez Musharraf, ARY News reported.

The special court in a November 19 decision had reserved the verdict in the case, which was scheduled to be announced on November 28.

The high court bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah ruled that the special court should hear the stance of Pervez Musharraf in the case before announcing the verdict.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court reserved its verdict over the the interior ministry’s petition which appealed to declare the special court’s decision of November 19 as null and void.

The government plea also requested to stop the special court from announcing its verdict in the high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf on November 28.

A larger bench of the high court headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah head the case.

The Secretary Law and Justice appeared before the court in person on the court orders today.

The bench had also summoned all record about the formation of the special court that heard high treason case against Pervez Musharraf.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah in his remarks said, “We are hearing the case of a man who attacked the judiciary. He has been declared proclaimed offender, we have to fulfill the requirement of his fair trial.”

Justice Amir Farooq told the additional attorney general that your are not a party but a petitioner.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the complainant itself is saying that the complaint is wrong. The federation should withdraw the complaint as complainant, the chief justice addressing the government lawyer said.

Justice Athar Minallah during the hearing yesterday remarked that the court will only hear the petition of the Ministry of Interior. “Pervez Musharraf has been a proclaimed offender as per the law,” the justice said.

The special court had reserved its verdict in the case against Musharraf, fixed to be announced on November 28.

A bench of Lahore High Court has also declared a petition of former president Pervez Musharraf as maintainable, seeking suspension of the special court’s decision of reserving the verdict in the high treason case against him.