Summary During Musharraf's treason case proceedings, two witnesses appeared on behalf of the prosecution.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) -- During Musharraf’s treason case proceedings, two witnesses appeared on behalf of the prosecution on Thursday. Cabinet Division Section Officer and former Deputy Secretary recorded their statement in the court and were cross-examined by Musharraf’s lawyers.
The original documents pertaining to the November 3, 2007 emergency bearing Musharraf’s signatures were also presented in the special court hearing the treason case of former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.
Former Deputy Secretary of Cabinet Division said that the emergency documents were sensitive and therefore, they have been accessed directly. The former President’s treason case was heard by a three member bench headed by Justice Faisal Arab. Besides, presenting the original documents pertaining to emergency and PCO, the prosecution witness Kaleem Ahmed Shehzad also recorded his statement. He said that an officer of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) came to his office on December 4 last year and asked for the relevant documents including the verified copy of the proclamation of the emergency and the letter sent by President House Secretariat. He further informed that on December 6, FIA asked for three more documents and one of those belonging to their department was provided. On December 18, FIA asked for the emergency case and PCO documents which were provided on December 19. Answering the inquiries of Shaukat Hayat, Musharraf’s lawyer , Kaleem Ahmed said that Musharraf’s name and the inquiry number are not mentioned in the statements. The second witness of the prosecution, former Deputy Secretary Cabinet Division Siraj Ahmed presented evidence of consultation between Musharraf and the Chief of Army Staff to impose emergency in the country on November 3, 2007. He told that FIA has been provided with the emergency case documents bearing Musharraf’s signatures. Musharraf did not sign the documents in my presence, said Siraj Ahmed. All the documents were handed over to FIA in Kaleem Ahmed’s office and his statement was also recorded there, he added.
Musharraf’s lawyer questioned that if the inquiry of Musharraf’s case was already completed then why did FIA ask for the documents on December 4, 9 and 19. Siraj Ahmed responded obliviously and said that the dates for the receipt of the documents were not available in their record. The documents were sensitive and therefore, were received directly by the secretary. “I had not asked the secretary to set down an entry number.”, said Siraj. After the hearing of the case, the court was adjourned till July 8.
The former president is being tried for treason for subverting and circumventing the Constitution when he imposed emergency in 2007. His name was also placed on the ECL by the federal government stating he might try to abscond. The former president and ex-Army general was formally charged with treason on March 31. Musharraf had rejected the charges levelled against him.
