ISLAMABAD: When a former military ruler is put in the dock for treason in a country which has been under dictatorships for the most part of its existence, it is no less than history being made. The trial of retired General Pervez Musharraf is a landmark development in many ways.
Many Pakistani political leaders faced treason charges, but it is for the first time that a former head of state is being tried under Article 6 of the Constitution. The former military strongman is expected to be indicted by a special tribunal comprising three high court judges on Jan 1, 2014.
This case has all the ingredients of high drama with far-reaching political consequences.
The trial of a former army chief in a country where the military remains a formidable force casting its shadow over politics may have serious ramifications.
For Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, it may be an opportunity to settle scores with a man who not only deposed him but also put him on trial for sedition. There’s certainly a revenge aspect to the decision to initiate the treason trial, though the government maintains it only complied with the Supreme Court ruling.
Some opposition leaders have also accused the government of using the trial to divert public attention from its failure to address other key issues.
But Musharraf’s aides are confident the trial will collapse. “He has not committed any treason and the case will fall apart if the trial is fair and unbiased,” says retired Maj Gen Rashid Qureshi.
INTERNEWS
