The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reserved its judgment on petitions seeking former President Pervez Musharraf’s trial under Article 6 of the Constitution. The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is also one of the petitioners seeking Musharraf’s trial for high treason.
Earlier, Sharif had said on the floor of the National Assembly that “The prime minister is under oath to protect, preserve and defend the constitution and it is implicit in his oath that his government ensures that persons guilty of acts under Article 6 are brought to justice.” When the court asked the attorney general (AG) as to how the government wanted to proceed in the case, the AG said that the government wants to take up the matter from Nov. 3, 2007, when Musharraf declared emergency and acted against the judiciary.
When PML (N) leaders were asked by the media, why not begin the case from Oct. 12, 1999, when Musharraf toppled Nawaz government and held the Constitution in abeyance, they said that Musharraf’s Oct. 12 act was indemnified by the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. It’s worth recalling that the 17th Amendment was superseded by the 18th which was adopted during PPP government’s tenure with the support of Sharif’s party and which makes abrogation of the Constitution an act of high treason. Even those who abet, aid and collaborate in this act are also to be charged with the same offense.
Now, if the 18th Amendment is the yardstick then it will have serious implications for some of the serving judges of the Supreme Court who had validated Musharraf’s act of Oct. 12, 1999. Also many military generals and even a former law minister in Musharraf’s Cabinet Zahid Hamid, who is now in Sharif’s Cabinet, had aided Musharraf in the imposition of Emergency on Nov. 3, 2007. Besides, what about the court ruling to investigate the Mehran Gate scandal wherein politicians took bribe to create Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) against the PPP in 1997 elections.
The point here is that justice should be done across the board. Besides, Sharif government should set its priorities well and avoid indulging in non-issues. The country is confronted with serious challenges — law and order problem and energy crisis being the major ones. The government should focus on these issues. Unjust practices will be harmful for the reputation of the government and judiciary in Pakistan. — Shaukat Ali, Dhahran
Sharif should focus on issues
