The special court trying former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for treason has directed the federal government to resubmit its complaint in the treason case after including the names of former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, federal minister Zahid Hamid who was law minister at the time and former chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar to the charge-sheet.
The order comes as the court disposed of a request filed by the retired general calling for the trial of abettors during the November 3 actions. The move is likely to implicate a number of high profile civilians and armed personnel in the treason trial. One of the judges, Justice Yawar Ali of Lahore High Court, attached a dissenting note while disposing off the petition. The court has directed the federal government to resubmit its complaint after including the names of former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, former law minister Zahid Hamid, former chief justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and other office holders at the time.
The court’s decision can be challenged by the federal government if it chooses to. The decision is based on the original complaint filed by the federal government which had said that the role of other facilitators could be examined. Musharraf had also demanded that the civilian leadership and the military authorities that allegedly abetted in the imposition of the November 3, 2007 emergency should also be tried along with him. According to the proclamation issued for the November 3 emergency, Musharraf imposed the emergency after consulting the then prime minister, the governors of all four provinces and the chairman of joint chiefs of staff committee, the chiefs of the armed forces, the vice-chief of army staff and the corps commanders of the Pakistan Army.
