ISLAMABAD: The special court seized with the high treason trial of former military dictator retired Gen Pervez Musharraf has decided to proceed in the case on a daily basis to conclude the trial pending since December 2013.

The special court comprising Justice Nazar Akbar and Justice Shahid Karim resumed proceedings in the treason trial on Tuesday.

Advocate Raza Bashir, the defence counsel appointed by the law ministry on the directive of the special court, filed an application seeking his meeting with Mr Musharraf for getting instructions from him to argue the case.

The court expressed displeasure over the filing of the application and said that the accused had already been summoned for recording his statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The court has barred Barrister Salman Safdar from representing the absconding accused and Advocate Bashir has been engaged to assist the court in concluding the much-delayed trial.

Advocate Bashir said that he had filed the application for seeking permission to meet Mr Musharraf and prepare arguments for the case.

After brief arguments, the judges suspended the proceedings for a short break.

When the proceedings began again, they informed the prosecution as well as the defence counsel that since presiding judge Tahira Safdar was not in attendance, the court had decided to adjourn the hearing till Oct 8.

The court directed Advocate Bashir to prepare arguments as the proceedings in the treason trial would resume on a daily basis from the next date.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2019