Musharraf's top legal adviser abandons him

Islamabad, July 30 (ANI): Trouble for former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf is far from over as his top legal adviser Malik Qayyum appears to have dumped him.

Qayyum did not responded to Supreme Court's notice on Musharraf's behalf even though he was present during the hearing on Wednesday.

Qayyum said Musharraf has not appointed him to represent him in the court.

"Musharraf didn't accept my advice, and rather accepted Abdul Hafeez Pirzada's counsel not to appear before the court," he said.

Sources said Pirzada has told Musharraf that the Supreme Court has no legal right to challenge his decision of imposing emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.

Qayyum said the apex court can also initiate a case of high treason against Musharraf , and that it has full authority to declare the former general's act as unconstitutional.

"I don't know what the apex court will do, but it can initiate high treason proceedings on its own. The Supreme Court has full authority to declare the November 3 proclamation and the subsequent acts unconstitutional," The News quoted Qayyum, as saying.

However, he agreed that the Suprme Court could do away with article 270-AAA of the Constitution that was drafted to validate the November 3 and the following actions.

When enquired further about scrapping 270-AAA, he said : " I can't say anything exactly about the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) but according to the chief justice's observation all the ordinances stood automatically cancelled after a lapse of four months meaning that the NRO too has met the same fate." (ANI)