Appears to be so
There can be no two opinions about the prime minister’s stand that the treason case against Musharraf was not the case of an individual and that the time had come to show that Pakistan’s was a civilised democratic state. That Musarraf twice failed to appear before the court advancing lame excuses and managed to give it a slip a third time also indicates that he is adamant to defy the court. It has been corroborated by Sharifuddin Pirzada also that before his taking up the former military ruler’s case it was a part of the defence team’s strategy to avoid his appearance on December 24, then on January 1 and even beyond if it could get an adjournment. Apparently when the court threatened to issue warrants of arrest a new plan to save Mushrraf from the court was formulated. That the route to the AFIC was already being guarded by the Rangers and Elite Force to provide Musharraf security indicates that the decision to remove him to the hospital had not been spontaneous. Chief prosecutor Akram Sheikh too believes that the exercise had been preplanned.
Many will wait to see how Mian Nawaz Sharif reacts to the plan to protect Musharraf from the law. Unless the former military ruler gets his comeuppance the talk about civilian supremacy over army would be nothing but poppycock. What is the use of keeping Article 6 in the constitution when it is not to be applied to an army General? Are laws meant to be abided solely by civilians? Are politician alone to appear before the courts and accept the sentences passed against them? Will a similar exercise be undertaken to bail out Gen (retd) Aslam Beg and Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani? According to the Supreme Court’s verdict, both had “acted in violation of the constitution by facilitating a group of politicians and political parties, etc, to ensure their success against the rival candidates in the general election of 1990”. The Supreme Court had ordered that “notwithstanding that they may have retired from service, the Federal Government shall take necessary steps under the Constitution and Law against them.”
Musharraf is scheduled to appear before the court on Monday. Many think the next step in the plan is an application seeking permission for Musharraf’s treatment abroad. The AFIC is an outstanding institution for heart related ailments and Pakistan has got outstanding heart specialists. Why can’t Musharraf be treated here? Can commoners facing charges with similar punishment be allowed to go abroad for treatment?
