An application filed by former dictator Pervez Musharraf to constitute a full bench for his trial in the treason case was rejected by the Supreme Court on Saturday, and a three member bench was given the task instead.
The three-judge bench now constituted comprises Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Aijaz Afzal Khan. Previously, only Justice Khawaja and Justice Khilji had been hearing the treason case against the former general.
The development came in wake of a hearing at an anti-terrorist court in Islamabad which ordered Musharraff be sent on a 14-day judicial remand in the judges’ detention case.
Pervaiz Musharraf had returned to Pakistan last month after nearly four years of self-imposed exile to contest the May 11 general election. He had resigned from presidency after country-wide protests erupted against his rule and he was threatened with impeachment proceedings by the coalition government lead by Pakistan People’s Party.
Musharraf’s return to Pakistan was hailed as the former military strongman’s attempt to save the country by participating in the electoral process. However, he was barred from from running for the National Assembly earlier this week, effectively derailing his attempts to regain a place in politics. The unfolding legal sega is also unlikely to affect the outcome of the upcoming general elections in any significant way.