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Petition seeks trial of former President Musharraf on treason charge

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, March 26, IRNA - A petition, seeking trial of former President Pervez Musharraf on treason charges, was filed in the country’s Supreme Court on Thursday, court officials said.

A citizen Zahid Hussain filed the petition in the apex court’s Lahore Registry.

The petition said that Pervez Musharraf had ‘violated the constitution’ two times in his 8-year dictatorial rule (1999-2008).

Mushrraf took over in October 1999 after he sacked the elected government of the then Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif.

Musharraf, who tried Sharif on the charges of hijacking his plane, terrorism and misuse of power, sent him into exile to Saudi Arabia in 2000.

He resigned last year in August after the ruling coalition announced a plan to remove him through parliament.

The petitioner requested the Supreme Court to issue orders to the concerned authorities to register a case of treason against the ex-army general on the charges of violating the constitution under its article six. This article calls for punishment for treason to those who have violated the country’s constitution.

The petitioner requested the Court to register another case against Musharraf for violating the oath of the Pakistan Army.

A petition, seeking ban on Musharraf’s travel abroad, has already been filed in the Supreme Court. Musharraf regularly travels abroad for lectures and he is scheduled to visit China later this month, according to local media reports. He has visited the US, Britain and India since his resignation.

Petitions against Musharraf have been filed as Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, sacked by Musharraf in 2007, assumed office on Tuesday.

Lawyers and political parties launched a movement for Chaudhry’s restoration and President Asif Ali Zardari agreed last week to restore Chaudhry.

“There is general perception of corruption from civil courts to Supreme Court. Lawyers should help us end corruption,” Chaudhry said in his remarks while hearing his first case.

He told the lawyers to point out those cases in which they see element of corruption. “It is a must for justice to end corruption first”.