Govt to save ex-ruler in court on appeal: AG.

Byline: Syed Irfan Raza

ISLAMABAD -- Terming the high treason trial against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf 'unfair', the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government on Tuesday decided to defend the self-exiled, ailing ex-president during the hearing of an appeal to be filed on his behalf.

'I will defend the law in the case but not any individual,' said Attorney General Anwar Mansoor in the late-night joint press conference that he addressed along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan.

He said former president Musharraf had not been given the right of fair trial during the case tried in a special court and the judgement was announced in absentia without recording statement of the accused.

The attorney general said the verdict raised questions about 'urgency in pronouncing the judgement when Mr Musharraf was in critical condition in ICU' in Dubai.

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'Musharraf was not given a chance to record his statement under Article 342 (of the Constitution), to present his testimony and witnesses and his request to record his statement through video link or before a commission was turned down by the judge,' he added.

'There is no question that a person who had committed treason must be punished but in this case the right of fair trial guaranteed under the Constitution was not ensured. A trial should not just be fair but also seen to be fair,' he insisted.

The AG argued before the media that one of the major flaws in the case was that those who might have assisted Gen Musharraf in enforcing emergency in the country 'had not been made party' in the case. He said if Gen Musharraf had been given a chance to record his statement and present his witnesses, he might have come up with 'logical' reasons in support of emergency he had proclaimed in 2007.

Mr Mansoor further argued that the complaint against the ex-president had been filed by a former interior secretary, whereas under the 18th Amendment only a prime minister and members of his cabinet have powers to authorise any person for filing such petitions/complaints.

Asked if he committed a contempt of court by declaring the trial 'unfair' during his media talk, the attorney general said: 'Once the verdict is announced it becomes a public document and everyone can comment on it.' At the same time, he added, he had tried his best to get a copy of the judgement but...