F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Registrar Special Court to submit a report to explain the reasons for the delay in the trial in 15 days.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, heard the case filed by the Lahore High Court Bar Association Rawalpindi bench.
During the course of proceedings, petitioner Taufeeq Asif said Musharraf was not in the country and the trial has been halted.
Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that the former president was not sent abroad by the court but by the then government.
“Court decisions did not say that Musharraf should be sent abroad. If he is not coming back, his testimony should be recorded via Skype,” the CJP added.
He remarked that every one is equal before law and the court would not stretch any unneccessary case.
The chief justice remarked that the court had left it to the then government, and the court order did not state that Musharraf be sent abroad.
The chief justice said that Musharraf’s statement could be recorded through a video link. “If he refuses to record a statement, then the special court can assume that Musharraf has denied all charges,” he added.
He remarked that the special court can write ‘denied’ before every statement by the suspect. He asked should the court become hostage to a suspect? Do courts become helpless if a suspect does not show up?
He remarked that no suspect was big or small as everyone was equal before the law.
He reiterated his resolve to wrap up unimportant cases and informed the court that the number of pending cases had been reduced by 2,000 over the past one and a half month.
The Chief Justice remarked that all judges have played their role in reducing the backlog of cases.
The Attorney General of Pakistan was also summoned in person to apprise the court as to what steps have been taken for bringing back the former President.
The Chief Justice remarked that it was the government’s job to put Musharraf’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL), and bringing him back was also their job.
The apex court also issued notices to the federal government and other respondents, and the case was adjourned till March 25. It may mentioned here that a special court was formed to hear the case against the former President Musharraf for proclamation of emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.
