PML-N to leave no stone unturned to launch high treason case against Musharraf

Islamabad, July 28 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to launch a massive legal war against former President General Pervez Musharraf and pressurise the government to charge him for high treason.

"Regardless of the court decision we will exploit every opportunity and use every platform for Musharraf's trial under The High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973," PML-N's spokesman Senator Pervez Rashid said.

Rashid said the PML-N will utilise all resources and force to try the former military ruler.

"We will mobilise all constitutional, legal, parliamentary and political forums to get Musharraf tried. We will not let him off the hook because if we did so the posterity will take our dead bodies out of graves and ask why we didn't perform our duty," The News quoted Rashid, as saying.

Sources said the PML-N is eagerly waiting for the Supreme Court's verdict against Musharraf regarding his November 3 2007 dissemination of the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), state of emergency and suspension of the Constitution.

They said the party is waiting for the apex court's decision to decide its future course of action.

Party insiders said that if the court asks the authorities to register a high treason case against Musharraf and his collaborators, the PML-N would also become a party in the case.

Former Senate Chairman Wasim Sajjad said the High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973 has never been invoked since its inception.

"There is a clear difference between treason and high treason.

Treason is an offence under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) whereas a separate statute of law exists for high treason after the heinous offence has been provided in the Constitution," said Sajjad, adding "If someone works against the state, like by raising a private army, he commits treason but if he subverts the Constitution, he is guilty of high treason." (ANI)