President Arif Alvi, in an interview, has rejected the idea of going head with the high treason trial against former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and said the priority in the current scenario was to improve the existing situation.
Alvi laughed and said whether the programme host wanted to add another challenge to the existing ones faced by the government.
The host had asked the president why there is no progress in the high treason trial, given that there is an impression that the ongoing accountability process is lopsided and only the opposition leaders are being targeted.
The high treason trial under Article 6 had become source of conflict between the then Nawaz Sharif government and establishment, which later worsened the relationship.
Soon after assuming his office after victory in 2013 elections, the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif had stated that the government “firmly subscribes to the view that the holding in abeyance of the constitution on 3rd November 2007, constituted an act of high treason”.
“Musharraf will have to answer for his guilt before the court,” he said.
“Notwithstanding the fact that the Prime Minister has borne the brunt of Musharraf’s brazen coup, he wishes to assure both this august court and the people of Pakistan that he will act according to the highest standards of justice and follow the due process of law,” Nawaz Sharif said.
Interestingly, the PTI [and also the PP-P] extended its support to the prime minister on the issue at that time. “It is the prerogative of the federal government to take action against the dictator (Gen Musharraf). The PTI will fully support all steps taken by the government in this regard in line with the Constitution,” a statement issued by PTI media cell had read.
The PTI statement said that Constitution was a sacred document and no individual or institution could be allowed to abrogate it.
“Whether it is Pervez Musharraf or a normal Pakistani citizen, any action must be taken under the law.”
The PTI also sought against all abettors and facilitators of General Musharraf, adding that a long-term strategy should be evolved to avoid any future adventurism.
Later, Musharraf himself had admitted in an interview that he had managed to avoid the court and flown out of Pakistan due to the intervention of the then army chief Gen Raheel Sharif.
Alvi laughed and said whether the programme host wanted to add another challenge to the existing ones faced by the government.
The host had asked the president why there is no progress in the high treason trial, given that there is an impression that the ongoing accountability process is lopsided and only the opposition leaders are being targeted.
The high treason trial under Article 6 had become source of conflict between the then Nawaz Sharif government and establishment, which later worsened the relationship.
Soon after assuming his office after victory in 2013 elections, the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif had stated that the government “firmly subscribes to the view that the holding in abeyance of the constitution on 3rd November 2007, constituted an act of high treason”.
“Musharraf will have to answer for his guilt before the court,” he said.
“Notwithstanding the fact that the Prime Minister has borne the brunt of Musharraf’s brazen coup, he wishes to assure both this august court and the people of Pakistan that he will act according to the highest standards of justice and follow the due process of law,” Nawaz Sharif said.
Interestingly, the PTI [and also the PP-P] extended its support to the prime minister on the issue at that time. “It is the prerogative of the federal government to take action against the dictator (Gen Musharraf). The PTI will fully support all steps taken by the government in this regard in line with the Constitution,” a statement issued by PTI media cell had read.
The PTI statement said that Constitution was a sacred document and no individual or institution could be allowed to abrogate it.
“Whether it is Pervez Musharraf or a normal Pakistani citizen, any action must be taken under the law.”
The PTI also sought against all abettors and facilitators of General Musharraf, adding that a long-term strategy should be evolved to avoid any future adventurism.
Later, Musharraf himself had admitted in an interview that he had managed to avoid the court and flown out of Pakistan due to the intervention of the then army chief Gen Raheel Sharif.