Staff Reporter
Lahore
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday resumed hearing of a petition filed by former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf requesting to stay the treason case trial being conducted against him until he recuperates and appears before the court. Musharraf has maintained that owing to his deteriorating health, multiple life-threatening ailments and of his aged mother, he is unable to return to Pakistan ever since, despite having a strong desire to do so. During Tuesday’s proceedings, the high court questioned how the former president’s actions in 2007 fall under the ambit of Article 6 of the Constitution.
According to Article 6, any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or holds in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or subvert or suspend or hold in abeyance, the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.
A person found guilty of high treason as defined in Article 6 of the Constitution, shall be punishable with death or life imprisonment. “Isn’t declaring an emergency and abrogating the Constitution two separate things?” Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi asked Additional Attorney General Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan. “Where does the Article 6 apply? What does the SC judgment say?” Justice Naqvi probed further.
