Gilani rules out Musharraf's high treason trial

Islamabad, Aug.20 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has virtually ruled out the trial of former President General Pervez Musharraf for high treason, saying such step a could trigger political imbalance in the country.

Responding to opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's demand in the National Assembly, Gilani questioned the 'feasibility' of a Musharraf trial.

"We should do what is doable," Gilani said in what was an apparent turnaround from his earlier statement where he said the former Army chief would be tried for violating the Constitution if Parliament unanimously passes a resolution for it.

"We should not take any action that can't be reversed. Our (PPP) chairman has already said that democracy is the best revenge. And we have taken our revenge through democracy. We have come to parliament. Now we should try to strengthen democracy. We should not play to galleries," Gilani said.

Earlier, Khan told the National Assembly that a draft of resolution regarding Musharraf's trial has already been prepared and he would move it in the house if the Prime Minister agreed to charge Musharraf under Article 6 of the Consitution.

Khan had raised the issue in the house earlier this month, but it subsequently died down following former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif statement that a parliamentary resolution was not needed and that government should invoke Article 6 on its own after the Supreme Court declared the November 3 emergency and other related decrees as 'unconstitutional' and 'extra judicial'.

During Khan's speech, PML-N members chanted slogans in protest against MQM's protest shouts against his criticism of the Karachi-based party's association first with Pakistan's third military dictator late General Zia-ul-Haq and then with General Musharraf, the Dawn reports.

"Whoever is friend of Musharraf is traitor," PML-N leaders shouted.

MQM deputy parliamentary leader Haider Abbas Rizvi criticised both the PPP and the PML-N, saying his party has been used by both whenever they needed its support, and was ignored afterwards and even subjected to military operations. (ANI)