Nawaz Sharif... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
on Monday announced that his government would try former military dictator
Pervez PervMusharraf
... former dictator of Pakistain, who was less dictatorial and corrupt than any Pak civilian government to date ...
for high treason for holding the constitution in abeyance on November 3, 2007.
Speaking in National Assembly, Prime Minister Nawaz stated that he is under oath to protect, preserve and defend the constitution and it is implicit in his oath that his government ensures that people guilty of acts under Article 6 of the constitution are brought to justice. "Musharraf will have to answer for his guilt before the court," Nawaz said in the Lower House of parliament. The maximum penalty for treason is death.
Amidst desk thumping by the treasury and opposition benches, Nawaz noted that in line with the Supreme Court's decision in the Sindh High Court Bar Associations' case, the federal government firmly subscribed to the view that holding in abeyance of the constitution on November 3, 2007 constituted an act of high treason under Article 6.
The prime minister iterated that the federal government is fully in line with the unanimous resolution passed by the Senate at a time when his party was in opposition. "Now that my party is in government and is committed to follow the high standards of rule of law, it wishes to ensure that further steps required to be taken by it are not blurred under the cloud of 'Victor's Justice'," he proclaimed. Nawaz said that he has borne the brunt of Musharraf's brazen coup, however, he assured the court and people that he will act according to the highest standards of justice and follow the due process of law.