ISLAMABAD, Dec 13: The special court constituted to try former president Pervez Musharraf for ‘high treason’ on Friday summoned him on December 24.

The special court, comprising Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court, Justice Tahira Safdar of Balochistan High Court and Justice Yawar Ali of Lahore High Court, examined the complaint filed by the federal government seeking Musharraf’s trial under article 6 of the constitution for imposing an emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.

The federal government in its complaint stated: “The investigation team conducted the inquiry and investigation and submitted its report to the Federal Government and upon examination of the report the Federal Government reached the conclusion that sufficient grounds exist to prosecute General (R) Pervez Musharraf on the charge of High Treason punishable under Section 2 of the High Treason (Punishment) Act 1973.”

According to the complaint, the federal government levelled five charges against Musharraf.

The first charge is related to issuance of “an unconstitutional and unlawful ‘Proclamation of Emergency Order 2007’ which, unconstitutionally and unlawfully, held the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973 in abeyance.”

The second charge is related to amending the constitution.

The complaint said the former military ruler “issued an unconstitutional and unlawful Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) which empowered him to amend the constitution.”

According to the third charge, Musharraf “issued an unconstitutional and unlawful “Oath of Office (Judges) Order 2007.”

The fourth offence against the former president was that he issued a “Constitution (Amendment) Order 2007 and unconstitutionally and unlawfully amended the constitution, and Article 270AAA was added to the constitution.”

The fifth charge was the issuance of “Constitution (Second Amendment) Order 2007.”

The special court held its first meeting in the Federal Shariat Court to examine the complaint filed by the federal government against Musharraf on Friday.

After the meeting, the registrar of the special court, Abdul Ghani Soomro, told mediapersons that the court had decided to summon the former president on the next date of hearing.

“The honourable judges examined the complaint that has been registered with this special court,” said the registrar.

He, however, did not respond to a question as to where the court would hold its further proceedings.

A senior officer of the law ministry, however, confirmed that the National Library auditorium had been finalised for the trial and the auditorium was being converted into a courtroom.

“National Library is a safe and secure place to conduct the trial as it is adjacent to the Prime Minister Secretariat which is in the high security zone of the federal capital,” he said.

According to him, the National Library auditorium would accommodate an expected larger number of lawyers, mediapersons and the members of civil society who want to witness the proceedings.