ISLAMABAD: The federal government has initiated the process of filing a high treason case against former military dictator General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ordered the Interior Secretary in writing to ask the Director General of the Federal Investigative Authority to conduct an inquiry on an emergency basis into the acts of Musharraf on November 3, 2007, when he held the constitution in abeyance, declared emergency and sacked judges of the superior courts.

In a written reply to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Attorney General Munir Malik detailed the federal government’s line of action in filing a complaint against Musharraf for his “unconstitutional actions”.

A three member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, had asked the federal government to specify what steps it would take to file a complaint against Musharraf under Article 6 of the constitution.

The reply from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif states that he has ordered the Secretary Interior to formally direct the DG Federal Investigation Agency to constitute a special investigation team to commence “an inquiry and investigations in relation to the acts of General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf of November 3, 2007 that may amount to high treason under Article 6 of the constitution and to finalise as expeditiously as possible the time of action and statement of the case to be put up by the federal government before the Supreme Court.”

The reply submitted by the federal government also states in order to ensure expeditious completion of inquiry and investigation, the prime minister is also considering forming a commission to oversee and monitor the progress of the proceedings.

“On the completion of the investigations, the federal government shall file the requisite complaint under section 5 of the Criminal Law Amendment (Special Courts Act, 1976) and take steps to constitute the special court for the trial of the offense,” the reply said.