Treason hearing begins, Musharraf asks for appearance exemption

 

Musharraf’s counsel, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, said his client could not appear for the proceedings due to security threats and also cited that a kilogram of explosive material was recovered and defused near Musharraf’s Chak Shahzad farmhouse residence.

Kasuri added that the judiciary would be responsible if any untoward incident took place, adding that if a bombing occurred, everyone, including the judges of the special court, would be killed as a result.

Responding to which, Justice Faisal Arab, who is heading the special court, cautioned Kasuri to not threaten the court, adding that the counsel's point had been noted.

Kasuri said the court seemed "more like Shakespearen theatre" as opposed to a special court, adding that Akram Shaikh, chief prosecutor in the case, was a crony of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

In response to the remark, Shaikh said he could speak a hundred times louder than Kasuri, adding that if the court declares him biased, he would part from his role of chief prosecutor.

Also during the proceedings, Justice Faisal said the court could not stop its proceedings on account of security concerns.

Moreover, Musharraf's other counsel Anwar Mansoor said all those who aided the violation of the Constitution should be considered guilty just as well.

Mansoor accused Prime Minister Sharif for holding bias and retributive motivations against the former army strongman.

Also today, Musharraf's legal team filed a plea in the special court to exempt him from appearing before it today on account of threats to his security.

The application was filed today when Musharraf had been summoned by the special court which was expected to indict the former dictator the same day. His lawyers cited threats to his security as the reason to request the exemption.

In another application, Musharraf's legal team also requested the court to adjourn the case for a period of five weeks.

It alleged that the federal government had failed to put adequate security measures in place for the former president.

The application added that Musharraf had called for the Nov 3, 2007 emergency in his capacity as the country's military chief, adding that he could only be tried by a military court in that respect as opposed to by the special court as it had been formed.