Summary The government has decided to try Musharraf for treason under Article 6.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The Supreme Court has directed Attorney General Munir A. Malik to submit a written reply within three days regarding registration of high treason case by the government against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja heard the petition seeking to try Musharraf for treason under Article 6 of the Constitution.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced that government would put Pervez Musharraf on trial for treason.
"Musharraf s actions came under the purview of high treason," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told parliament. "He should face trial... and will have to answer for his guilt before the court," he added.
Later, the attorney general delivered the same statement on behalf of the government in the Supreme Court, where a treason trial can be initiated only by the state.
He told court that the government is determined to bring the violators of the Constitution to justice.
The attorney general said implementation under Article 6 of the Constitution has begun from today. He also sought thirty days from the court for setting up of a free prosecution and a trial agency.
Lawyer of Pervez Musharraf‚ Ibrahim Satti‚ submitted before the court that name of his client may be removed from the exit control list. The court directed him to submit another application for this purpose.
Later the hearing of the case was adjourned by Thursday.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has for months been hearing a petition from lawyers demanding that Musharraf be tried for treason for subverting the constitution by imposing emergency rule and sacking judges in 2007.
Before May 11 general elections swept Sharif back to power, a caretaker government had refused to initiate the trial against Musharraf, saying it was beyond its mandate and up to the new, elected government
Musharraf faces three other cases dating back to his rule.
He has won bail for sacking judges and in connection with the 2007 murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, but remains under house arrest over the 2006 killing of a Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.
He is serving his house arrest at his luxury villa in the upmarket suburb of Chak Shahzad on the edge of Islamabad. He is currently barred from leaving the country.
