ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday de-notified the prosecution team in the treason case against former military dictator General (r) Pervez Musharraf.
The prosecution team was hired in November 2013, during the tenure of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif.
The special court – hearing the treason case against Musharraf for violating Article 6 of the Constitution – adjourned the hearing without any proceedings on Thursday after it was informed that the government had dismissed the prosecution team.
The court was told that Reza Bashir – the government lawyer provided to the former dictator – was ill and was unable to attend the previous hearing.
The three-judge special tribunal also summoned secretary interior on November 19.
Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth asked the prosecutor if any notification was received, to which prosecutor Tariq Hassan said that he had not been notified.
“Can the prosecution team be dismissed in this manner?” asked Justice Waqar Ahmed.
“I sat all night preparing for this case,” responded the prosecutor.
The court also asked to be informed under which law the prosecution team was de-notified by the government. Approving the lawyers’ request, the court gave Reza Bashir one more chance to attend the next hearing on November 19.
The former army chief, who took power in 1999, is facing a treason trial under Article 6 of the Constitution as well as Section 2 of the High Treason Act on a complaint moved by the federal government.
It merits a mention here that earlier this month, the court had decided to hear the case on a daily basis with effect from Oct 24. In a previous hearing in September, the court had also passed the same order saying the proceedings in the treason trial would resume on a daily basis from October 8.
