ISLAMABAD: The apex court of Pakistan has accepted former Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar's appeal to exclude him from the probe into the case launched against Gen Musharraf for imposing emergency in 2007. In further trouble for the former military ruler, the Supreme Court ruled that only he should be tried on charge of treason.
The three-member special court trying Gen Musharraf on November 27, 2015 directed Federal Investigation Agency to reinvestigate the case by including ex-Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, former Minister Zahid Hamid and ex-Chief Justice Dogar. However, names of the three others were removed from the list. Justice Dogar had challenged his inclusion in Islamabad High Court which was rejected on December 12, 2015. However, he again challenged it in the Supreme Court which annulled a special court's decision to include the new names in the trial. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said, “A fresh investigation into the said offence by associating any person with the same lies within the prerogative of the Federal Government.” The court also asked the three-member panel to complete the trial as early as possible.
Accused Gen Musharraf was indicted in April 2014, but there has been no progress in the case for various reasons. He had come into power in 1999 by deposing then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and ruled till 2008, when he was forced to resign. Musharraf lives in Karachi with his daughter. He is not allowed to leave the country under an order by the court. Musharraf, who was recently admitted to a hospital, moved an application in the Supreme Court to let him go abroad for treatment.
