GEN. MUSHARRAF WAS MUHAJIR; HENCE, WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY BIASED JUDICIARY: ALTAF HUSSAIN
LONDON. [UK].April 4:
In a thought-provoking discourse, Mr Hussain, the founder and leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), unequivocally asserted that the non-constitutional actions witnessed in our nation are unambiguously directed at Gen. Pervez Musharraf.
These actions, driven by bias, myopic thinking, and a deep-seated animosity, have cast a shadow over the constitutional fabric, he said.
He drew a parallel between legal proceedings for murder cases (Section 302) and the measures outlined in Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Just as perpetrators and accomplices in heinous crimes face accountability, so too should those involved in conspiring to subvert and dismantle the Constitution. The gravity of their actions demands commensurate consequences.
He raised pertinent questions about historical precedents.
He asked whether Gen. Ayuob Khan, during his imposition of martial law in 1958, faced conviction under Article 6? What about Gen. Yahya Khan, whose martial law regime fractured the nation?
He asked whether Article 6 was invoked during his lifetime or posthumously?
And then there is Gen. Zia Ul Haq, whose unconstitutional actions in 1977 left an indelible mark on our constitutional landscape. Did he, too, face the scrutiny of Article 6? He questioned.
However, the spotlight remains on Gen. Musharraf. When he violated and suspended the Constitution, a special court convened, and he stood trial under Article 6, the MQM supremo Hussain said, adding that the verdict was unequivocal: the sentence of death.
Interestingly, he continued to tell, on that fateful day - October 12th, 1999 - when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was forcibly removed from office during the military takeover, Gen. Musharraf was absent from the country. Instead, he found himself aboard an aircraft, far removed from the orchestration of events. It was not General Musharraf alone but his comrades, including General Mahmood, who played pivotal roles.
Mr Hussain asserted that Gen. Musharraf was admitted to a foreign hospital for medical treatment but was unjustly coerced under the provisions of Article 6 and ultimately condemned to capital punishment on December 17, 2019.
The MQM supremo said that the special trial court judge even included a chilling additional note in the decision, stating that Gen. Musharraf should be executed on Shahra-e Dastur (Constitution avenue) and, in the event of his demise abroad, his body should be publicly displayed.
Although, he continued to tell, the Lahore High Court nullified the judgement of the special court, an appeal was lodged against that ruling in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The appeal was heard after Gen. Musharraf's passing, he said.
He said that on January 10, 2024, Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Essa, along with Justices Mansoor Ali Shah, Syed Amin Ud Din, and Athar Um Min Allah, constituted the Supreme Court bench and upheld the capital sentence for Gen. Musharraf.
He questioned why the Supreme Court did not raise the issue of other individuals responsible for facilitating the unlawful suspension of the constitution under Article 6 of the constitution.
He wondered why they were not brought to trial and punished.
Mr Hussain emphasised that singling out Gen. Musharraf for punishment under Article 6 cannot be deemed fair.
Gen Musharraf was penalised solely due to his ethnic background, he claimed.
He urged the people of Punjab, particularly the young generation, to raise their voices against this prejudice and apprehension in order to protect the country.
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