Khokhar denies resigning

Pakistan’s Additional Attorney General Tariq Mahmoud Khokhar yesterday refuted reports of his resignation, asserting that he had no intentions to quit from his post anytime soon, Dawn reported.

Earlier in the day, Geo News reported that Khokhar has resigned from the post of additional attorney general, saying his conscience does not allow him to pursue the high treason case against former president General Pervez Musharraf.

The rumors of Khokar’s resignation started circulating on social media as he failed to appear in court on Monday after filing a petition on behalf of the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government in Islamabad High Court seeking an adjournment of verdict announcement in the high treason case.

Prosecutor Sajid Ilyas Bhatti appeared in Khokhar’s place. “I appeared in court to represent the government [but] because of other commitments could not argue the interior ministry’s petition in the treason case,” Khokhar told Dawn when contacted.

High treason case

A special court on November 19 concluded the trial proceedings in the high treason case against Musharraf for declaring a state of emergency on November 3, 2007.

It also ruled out that the verdict would be announced tomorrow on the basis of the available record.

Musharraf was indicted on March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September the same year. However, due to litigation at appellate forums, the trial of the former president lingered on and he left Pakistan in March 2016 “to seek medical treatment.”

The retired general was that year declared an absconder as he failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons and the court directive issued to the FIA to arrest him.