Prosecution head in Musharraf’s treason case quits

Islamabad, July 31: The high treason case against Pakistan’s former military dictator Gen ( retd) Pervez Musharraf suffered a blow as the head of the prosecution has resigned, expressing his inability to proceed with the high- profile case after the imminent change of government at the Centre.

The Nawaz Sharif government had appointed Mohammad Akram Sheikh as head of the prosecution in the high treason case against the former president soon after the PML- N came to power in 2013 for his role in the promulgation of emergency on November 3, 2007.

In his resignation letter sent to the interior secretary on Monday, Sheikh expressed his inability to proceed with the case after the imminent change of government at the Centre, the Dawn reported.

Initially, the legal team of Musharraf, 74, challenged Sheikh's appointment as chief prosecutor, but the special court seized with the high treason case as well as the Islamabad high court ( IHC) dismissed the challenge. The special court had indicted Musharraf for high treason in March 2014. The prosecution laid its evidence by September same year. However, thereafter, the special court could not proceed against the former dictator as the IHC issued a stay order and then Musharraf left the country after the superior courts removed his name from the Exit Control List. The special court declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered confiscation of his properties which could not be attached due to the litigation in courts.

The special court earlier this year resumed proceedings in the treason case.