ISLAMABAD, Sept 14 Responding to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's statement that former president Pervez Musharraf will be greeted on his return to the country by the chief justice, senior lawyers and politicians have said that instead of passing the buck to the judiciary the premier should get a treason case filed against the former military ruler.

The Supreme Court Bar Association's chief Qazi Mohammad Anwar said the prime minister's statement “appears childish to say the least. No chief executive of the country in his senses could give such a statement.”

Talking to Dawn, he said the prime minister should have stated that the moment Gen (retd) Musharraf landed in the country, he would be arrested and sent to jail for a trial on charges of treason.

“It is strange that the PM appears to be turning the entire heat to the judiciary instead of taking administrative action against a former military dictator.”

Another senior lawyer and a candidate in SCBA elections, Ikram Chaudhry, said “Instead of waiting for the chief justice to act, the prime minister should himself register a treason case under Article 6 of the Constitution and set up a tribunal for his trial in accordance with the law.” He alleged that both the government and the establishment were using tactics to keep the judiciary under pressure and weaken its independence.

ANP's senior vice-president Senator Haji Mohammad Adeel advised the prime minister to table a resolution against the general in parliament under Article 6.

He said Gen (retd) Musharraf could be tried in a number of other major cases, including the murder of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, but it was the state's responsibility to try him under the amended and strengthened constitutional provision regarding treason.

JUI-F's secretary general Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that apparently the prime minister had tried to shift the responsibility of the executive onto the judiciary instead of tabling a resolution in parliament.

He said he was not sure that Gen (retd) Musharraf would face any action even if he returned, because he represented the country's strongest institution which would never allow the government to take such an action.

He said that according to Clause (3) of Article 6 “[Majlis-i-Shoora (parliament)] shall by law provide for the punishment of persons found guilty of high treason.”

He said “Let us see how things unfold as time for claims and counter-claims has passed and the time for action is round the corner.”

PML-N leader Siddiqul Farooq said “A traitor is trying to return because the government had allowed him to leave the country without taking action against him and the nation expects that PM Gilani will fulfil his constitutional obligations now and register a treason case against him for his trial by the judiciary.”

However, MQM's deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Haider Abbas Rizvi said “My party will not like to express its policy at this stage and will see how events take place after the PM's statement. Let us see whether the general returns and what happens if he does come back.”