Eight-member lawyers panel to defend Musharraf in treason case

A panel of eight lawyers will represent former Pakistani military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf in the "high treason" case registered against him by the Nawaz Sharif government that entails life imprisonment or death penalty if convicted.

The trial is set to start soon.

The eight-member panel include Sharifuddin Pirzada, Khalid Ranjha, Ilyas Siddiqui, Ahmed Raza Kasuri, Ibrahim Satti, Anwar Mansoor and Waqar Rana.

Senior lawyer Akram Sheikh will be heading the prosecution which, according to sources, comprised Barrister Sajeel Shahryar, Barrister Nataliya Kamal, Naseeruddin Khan Nayer, Sharjeel Adnan Sheikh and Chaudhry Hassan Maan, Dawn daily reported.

Sources in the prosecution said their panel would formally be announced soon.

Sheikh, a prominent lawyer, had previously served as legal counsel for Mansoor Ijaz, who was involved in the memogate scandal.

The filing of the complaint against 70-year-old Musharraf in the "high treason" case has been delayed because of the absence of advocate Sheikh from the country, the report said, quoting sources.

Both the panels would further be divided for the trial in the special court and for dealing with the constitutional matters related to the "high treason" case in the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister Sharif had on November 19 approved the formation of the three-member special court for the trial of the former military ruler.

The special court comprises Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court, Justice Tahira Safdar of Balochistan High Court and Justice Yawar Ali of Lahore High Court.

Meanwhile, Sindh High Court Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar has constituted a division bench to hear Musharraf's plea for reversing a court order against his travel abroad.

The bench, comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, will take up the plea on December 9.

Musharraf's lawyer A Q Halepota submitted that the trial courts have confirmed his bail in separate murder cases of former premier Benazir Bhutto, Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, Lal Masjid cleric Ghazi Abdul Rasheed and cleric's mother.

Musharraf wants to leave for Dubai to visit his 95-year- old mother who is seriously ill. He had earlier indicated his desire to be with his mother upon securing bail, according to Halepota.

However, the former military ruler cannot travel abroad since his name has been placed on the Exit Control List by the Interior Ministry.