Pak calls for high treason case against Mush

Islamabad, Nov 11: In a significant move, the ruling and opposition legislators have called for filing of high treason cases against former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for subversion of the Constitution.

Three lawmakers -- two from the treasury benches and one from the opposition -- put their signatures on the draft resolution, which they filed with the Senate Secretariat here during the first sitting of the requisitioned session, local media reports said on Tuesday, Nov 11. The draft resolution said, ''This House recommends that the government may take action by registering cases against General Musharraf being guilty of high treason for abrogating and subverting the Constitution on October 12, 1999, and also for directing killing of nationalist Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and his companions in a military action in 2006.'' The draft carried signatures of Mr Kamran Murtaza and Mr Shahid Hasan Bugti, who belonged to the treasury benches and Dr Abdul Malik of the National Party, who sits on the opposition benches.

''Certainly, a decision will be made in line with the party policy, but apparently this initiative will not win the backing of the Pakistan People's Party,'' commented a PPP senator, when contacted outside the Upper House of Parliament.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has already declared that his party and the government would not take any action against the former military ruler, who stepped down in August amid threats of impeachement by PPP-led coalition government.

However, leader of the House in the Senate had cautioned that the government could initiate cases against Mr Musharraf if he decided to take part in politics.

UNI