The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government decided to prosecute only General (r) Pervez Musharraf for his November 3, 2007 extra-constitutional actions. The top military brass has been taken into confidence on the subject.
Sources said that the government would not open the issue of 12 October, 1999 coup but would only focus on the November 3, 2007 unconstitutional action of General (r) Musharraf i.e. the issue that is also pending before the apex court.
It is believed that not only the Supreme Court’s decision of July 31, 2009 squarely held Musharraf responsible for his November 3 misadventure but the government had also not found anything concrete to conclude that others, whether in the government or in the military on that occasion (in 2007), had abetted the dictator in the abrogation of the Constitution.
The July 31 Supreme Court order had settled the issue by ruling: “The actions of General Pervez Musharraf dated 3rd November, 2007 were the result of his apprehensions regarding the decision of Wajihuddin Ahmed’s case and his resultant disqualification to contest the election of president. Therefore, it could not be said that the said actions were taken for the welfare of the people. Clearly, the same were taken by him in his own interest and for illegal and unlawful personal gain of maneuvering another term in office of president, therefore, the same were malafide as well. The statement made in Proclamation of Emergency that the situation had been reviewed in meetings with the Prime Minister, Governors of all the four Provinces, and with Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chiefs of the Armed Forces, Vice Chief of Army Staff and Corps Commanders of the Pakistan Army, and emergency was proclaimed in pursuance of the deliberations and decisions of the said meetings, was incorrect. The Proclamation of Emergency emanated from his person, which was apparent from the words ‘I, General Pervez Musharraf…….’ used in it.”
There are several voices, including those representing General Musharraf, which are desirous of involving many, including former prime minister, his cabinet, services chiefs and even some judges in this case apparently to let the dictator go off the hook. There is a realisation in the government that many such voices want to create confusion and misunderstanding between different state institutions merely to save the skin of Musharraf, who has already been declared a usurper by the apex court for this Nov 3 action.
The government is also conscious of the fact that the trial of Musharraf in no manner should be interpreted as friction between the civil and military.To pre-empt any misunderstanding between the institutions, the sources said, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also taken the top military leadership into confidence before unveiling his Monday’s extraordinary move to proceed against the dictator.
PML-N to try Musharraf for Nov 3 emergency, not coup of 1999
