- FIA Addl DG Khalid Qureshi Qureshi says Musharraf imposed Emergency in 2007 as Chief of Army Staff whereas he issued the affidavit of judges and PCO as country’s president
- Says decision to register treason case against Musharraf was taken by investigation team
The final prosecution witness in high treason case against former president Pervaiz Musharraf has testified that the former dictator imposed Emergency and issued Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) on his own and no third party was involved in the decision.
As a three-member Special Court headed by Justice Faisal Arab took up the case for hearing, prosecution witness, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Khalid Qureshi said that Musharraf imposed Emergency in 2007 as Chief of Army Staff whereas he issued the affidavit of judges and PCO as the country’s president. No advice was issued by any third party regarding the Emergency and issuance of PCO, he said.
Qureshi further argued that Musharraf justified the imposition of Emergency with his claim to “restore peace and order” in the country, therefore, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz did not complain.
He said that last year on June 27, FIA Director General Saud Mirza called on him, Muhammad Azam and Maqsoodul Hasan to inform about the joint investigation team to probe into the case. He told the court that four members of the team were given separate tasks of recording statements by witnesses, creating reports, dealing with legal matters and gathering evidences. It was decided that the investigation would not affect the credibility of any institution.
Qureshi said that he was provided with four folders by the team containing details of Emergency, statements by witnesses, legal references and progress reports. In a meeting with the investigation team, it was later decided that no member of the team would give any media statements. All the parties present in the meeting also agreed to keep the investigative matters strictly confidential.
Soon after the investigation began, notifications were issued to ministries of foreign affairs and defence including attorney general and Printing Corporation, he said, adding that the investigation team also contacted former cabinet secretary Masood Alam, former secretary DM Mohsin Hafiz, former foreign affairs secretary Kamal Shah, former law additional secretary Mian Muhammad Ajmal, former commissioner Khalid Saeed, former chief commissioner Hamid Khan and others concerned.
The record of the emergency imposed on November 2, 2007 was sought from the concerned departments whereas even the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and President House failed to provide it, he said.
Qureshi told the court that the decision to register a treason case against Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution was taken by the investigation team. He said that on December 6, 2013, the investigation team met Musharraf at his premises, however the former general refused to record a statement despite being provided with relevant documents.
The prosecution witness also requested Defence Ministry to provide the Emergency’s record which had not been delivered.
The case hearing was adjourned until September 16. In the next hearing Musharraf’s counsel Farogh Nasim would cross-examine Khalid Qureshi.
We need to be trying corrupt politicians for stealing Pakistans mass public wealth and impoverishing our nation. But if course our ironic state thinks only of punishing our brave war heroes and army generals. How very sad!
This case is nothing more than a vendetta against Musharraf by the chief fraud, liar, looter, and thug in this country, Nawaz Sharif.
I pray to Allah that this court does not disgrace us by sending to the gallows someone who has done so much service to our country!
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