Pakistan Court Adjourns Pervez Musharraf’s Treason Trial

Islamabad: A special court of Pakistan has adjourned the hearing in a high treason case against former President Pervez Musharraf for a month after the government failed to appoint a defence counsel to represent him. Acting Law and Justice Secretary Arshad Farooq Fahim told the three-judge Bench on Tuesday the Law Ministry had shortlisted six lawyers in the case but they were either unwilling to represent Musharraf, demanding excessive fees or needed time to study the case, Dawn newspaper reported on Wednesday. On June 12, the court had rejected Musharraf’s plea for adjournment of hearing on medical grounds and decided to conclude the trial even in his absence.

The court also cancelled Musharraf’s right of defence due to his repeated non-appearance before the court. It had also barred Musharraf’s attorney Salman Safdar from arguing on his behalf and ordered the Law Ministry to appoint a defence lawyer for him. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had registered the treason case against Musharraf in 2013 over the former President’s imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007, which led to house confinement of several superior court judges and sacking of over 100 judges. (IANS)

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