Throwing the ball in the court of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday asked them to be the complainants in the treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf as a complainant was required to make the federal government move forward amidst calls from some members to also implicate in the case the generals and politicians, who abetted the former military ruler in extrajudicial acts.
Malik asked the PML-N, the judges and other affected by Musharraf’s martial law to be complainants in the case and lodge an application with the federal government to initiate proceedings against the former president under Article 6 of the constitution.
To a point of order raised by Senator Raza Rabbani, Malik said the PPP never opposed an FIR under Article 6 against Musharraf. “He will be arrested in the Bughti murder case. He is a proclaimed offender in the Benazir murder case and the government was in contact with the UK authorities for his extradition. He will be arrested in three cases after he lands in Pakistan,” Malik said, adding that the government would take action according to the law. However, he told the House that a complainant was needed to make the federal government register a case against Musharraf under Article 6.
Malik asked the PML-N to come forward as it was the most affected party of the October 12, 1999 coup and lodge a complaint with the federal government.
He also asked the judges of the Supreme Court and high courts to act as complainants as they were also kept under arrest during the November 3 emergency imposed by then president.
He also appealed to Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take a suo motu notice in this regard. Malik said the slain PPP leader, Benazir Bhutto had rejected the NRO, adding that many case were pending under the NRO but only those cases had been reopened which involved the PPP leaders.
Senator Zahid Khan and Abdur Rahim Mandokhel were of the view that the generals and politicians who supported Musharraf in his extrajudicial acts should also be tried under Article 6.
Salim Saifullah Khan said those liable to be tried for abetting Musharraf were sitting in the cabinet.
Senator Nilofer Bakhtiar said those who saw off president Musharraf with a guard of honour were talking of Musharraf’s trial under Article 6. She also declared the NRO “a deal”.
Earlier, Rabbani stood on a point of order in the House and referred to a letter written by one of the Musharraf’s confidants to the US authorities seeking assurances from them on a ‘safe landing’ of the former president in Pakistan as well as other favours. He asked the interior minister to assure the House that Musharraf would be arrested immediately after he landed in the country.
Other senators including Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Prof Khurshid Ahmad and Zahid Khan also endorsed Rabbani’s point of view and sought registration of a case against Musharraf under Article 6.
Rabbani rejected as ‘illegal’ Malik’s proposal for passing a resolution and forming a committee of the House to draft a complaint against Musharraf, saying “an individual can move an application in this regard but the whole House cannot be a party in the case”. Subsequently, Deputy Speaker Jan Jamali asked the potential complainants including Zafar Ali Shah to meet the interior minister and discuss the issues separately.
JI Senator Prof Khurshid moved a privilege motion in the Upper House saying the government did not present reports of the Council of Common Interest and the National Economic Council in parliament since the past 19 months which he termed contempt of the House.