A special court in Islamabad has announced today that the verdict pertaining to the ongoing high treason case against former president Musharraf would be announced on December 17th.
The special court has announced that after hearing the arguments from the government’s new prosecution team, the court will announce the verdict of the high treason case this month.
On November 27th, the Islamabad High Court halted the special court from announcing a verdict in the high treason case against the former president. The high court further directed the government to notify a prosecution team by December 5th.
The special court was informed on October 24th that the entire prosecution team engaged by the previous PML-N government had been sacked by the current PTI government.
A three-member bench of the special court was headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth as a new prosecution team for the government appeared before the court during today’s proceedings.
Prosecutor Advocate Ali Zia Bajwa said that he had received the notification of his appointment as prosecutor in the case, along with Munir Bhatti, at 4pm on Wednesday along with a 3000 page record.
He asked for time to read over the records of the case stating that he would not rely on the arguments of the prosecution team before him.
A member of the bench, Justice Nazar Akbar, asked when he would be presenting his arguments adding that he would not be given more than a week’s time to do so to which Advocate Bajwa requested the court to provide a reasonable time frame.
Justice Seth said that the prosecutors needed to set aside other cases and make this one their priority while Justice Akbar said said that four days was ample time to prepare.
“This is a special case and this is a special court,” Justice Seth remarked.
When the prosecutors claimed that they were under a lot of pressure, Justice Akbar replied, “What pressure could there be on lawyers and the court? The lawyers’ job is to assist the court.”
Justice Seth added that the prosecution was to present their arguments by December 17th.
Adjourning proceedings till December 17, Justice Seth said they would hear arguments in the next proceeding and announce the verdict.
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