Government refuses to try Musharraf
April 23, 2013, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
PAKISTAN'S caretaker government yesterday refused to put former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on trial for treason, telling the Supreme Court that it was beyond its mandate.
The move will give at least temporary breathing room to Musharraf, who is already under house arrest in connection with one of three other cases dating back to his 1999-2008 period in office.
He has been threatened with death by the Taliban and barred from running in next month's general election, a humiliating blow to the retired general who returned home in March promising to "save" Pakistan after four years in exile.
"The caretaker government should avoid taking any controversial step and should not commit any process that is not reversible by the incoming elected government," the administration said in a statement read out in the top court.
The Supreme Court is hearing a petition from lawyers demanding that Musharraf face trial for treason for subverting the constitution. In Pakistan only the state can initiate charges of treason, which can carry the death penalty.
The interim administration, which took office last month, is tasked with guiding the nuclear-armed country of 180 million towards the May 11 vote.
The administration will step down after the new elected government takes office and as a result said it had no mandate to order a trial of Musharraf for treason.
With less than three weeks to go, it said overseeing the vote was a full-time job, not least given the threat level against candidates. The Taliban have claimed a series of deadly attacks on politicians and political parties.
Musharraf is serving his two-week arrest order in his luxury villa on the edge of Islamabad.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
