The November 3 emergency was imposed on the orders of then prime minister Shaukat Aziz, former president Pervez Musharraf’s lawyer claimed during the hearing of treason case held on Tuesday at the Supreme Court.
Musharraf’s counsel reiterated his reservations regarding the bench hearing the case.
The former president has doubts regarding Justice Jawad S Khawaja, who is heading the three-member bench, Musharraf’s lawyer Ibrahim Satti said during the hearing of treason case.
Reminding the court of the time when the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) had blamed the Supreme Judicial council of being partial when he was detained, Satti said that his client also has similar reservations regarding this bench. Hence, their request for full bench should be taken seriously.
Earlier, Musharraf’s team had requested for a full bench (minus the CJP) for this case.
Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar had verified the November 3 emergency but the ruling passed on July 31, 2009 changed it, Satti further argued.
SC, in its July 31, 2009 judgment on a petition filed by the Sindh High Court Bar Association, held Musharraf responsible for violating the Constitution and observed that it was the federal government’s task to initiate the former dictator’s trial.
“Do you want court and parliament to verify the unconstitutional steps taken by every government?” questioned Justice Arif Khilji in reply to Satti.