Zubair Qureshi
Islamabad
The detailed verdict issued by the Special Court hearing high treason case against former military ruler Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf is overshadowed by the Paragraph 66
of the judgment authored by the presiding judge Waqar Ahmed Seth as it provokes unprecedentedly heated debate in the country. In the said paragraph, Justice Seth has
directed to hang the convict by his neck till he dies on each count as per charge.
“We direct the law enforcement agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if
found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, Pakistan and be hanged for 03 days,” the judge further directs the law enforcing agencies in the
controversial verdict.
The Paragraph 66 has brought embarrassment to the country not only at home but also from rest of the world and a big question mark is put on Pakistan’s justice system.
The decision not only smacks of bias, arrogance and lust for absolute power, it also reminds us of the Stone Age when the powerful used to drag their opponents’ dead
bodies and hang them on the market place for days weeks, and months.
In the current century we also have such examples when in Swat, Taliban used to hang dead bodies of elderly people after digging their graves and dragging their bodies
out.
Today, once again we see a judge who is part of a bench that has seen a number of judges writing such a controversial judgment and causing embarrassment to the whole
community of judges.
This is exactly the same situation that was described by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa earlier this year while hearing video scandal case that the entire
judiciary has bowed its head in embarrassment because of Judge Arshad Malik.
According to legal experts, the said judgment has also served a heavy blow to Pakistan’s legal system and international community is seen asking why Pakistani judges
are issuing such statements as are not only against the laws of the country, Shariah but also in violation of the international laws and norms of the civilized world.
According to them only by handing a strict punishment and a disciplinary action against the said judge, this stigma on the face of judiciary can be washed away.
According to religious scholars, in his judgment, the judge has also committed violation of the laws of Shariah as he has proposed to desecrate dead bodies which is
against any law of the country and religion.
