ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has started hearing of five identical petitions against former President Pervez Musharraf under trial under article 6 of the Constitution for imposing the state of emergency in 2007. The act of Musharraf to impose martial law and removal of constitutional government of Mian Nawaz Sharif in October 1999 was approved by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in past.
It may be mentioned that former Member of National Assembly Syed Zafar Ali Shah went to Supreme Court against the abrogation constitution by the Gen Musharraf and against October 5, 1999 Martial Law. He submitted a petition in Supreme Court on 15 November 1999. He sought the court to declare the military takeover “illegal and unconstitutional” and demand that Musharraf be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution. He also demanded the restoration of National Assembly Parliament and four provincial assemblies that were suspended. Supreme Court on 1 December 1999 constituted a five-member bench headed by the then Chief Justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui and took 6 months to decide the case and on n 12 May 2000, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared the coup to be legal and justified, but also ordered that the army rule in Pakistan be limited to three years.
Now situation has changed and it looks that Gen Musharraf may face different situation as he is no more a serving general and the Chief of the Army Staff as he was during 1999.
On Monday, the apex court summoned the former president to appear before it today and face charges of high treason. The court barred him from leaving the country.
