A senior politician and former aide of Pakistan’s former military ruler General Parvez Musharraf Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said the former dictator had consulted his cabinet and army before imposing emergency on November 3, 2007.

Islamabad, Dec 25/Nationalturk – Ahead of start of high treason case against Pakistan’s former military ruler and President General (Retd) Parvez Musharraf, his former aide and senior politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that Musharraf had consulted his cabinet and army before imposing emergency on November 3, 2007.

“Musharraf had imposed emergency on November 3, 2007 after due consultation with his cabinet,” Shujaat, chief of Pakistan Muslim League (Q) told Pakistan TV,  Express News programme.

Musharraf is facing high treason case for imposing emergency in the country in November 2007.

Shujaat said he had supported Musharraf on principle and backed his plan of imposing emergency. “However, I had asked him to exclude the judiciary”.

‘Army opinion was also sought’

Asked whether Musharraf had held consultations with army commanders,  Shujaat said opinion of the army was also considered. “It was the army that was to implement it. How could the emergency be implemented without the consent of the army?”.

He said a separate meeting was held with top military brass of that time to discuss this (emergency) plan.

Shujaat said everyone involved in imposition of emergency in 2007 should be implicated in  accordance to the Constitution and the law of the country.

“The treason case cannot be maintained against Musharraf without Army Act,” he said.

Special court to indict Musharraf on Jan 1, 2014

Media reports said special court will indict  Musharraf on January 1, 2014 in the high treason case for subverting the Constitution while imposing the proclamation of emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.

A three-member bench of the special court headed by Justice Faisal Arab and comprising Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar and Justice Yawar Ali conducted preliminary hearing into the complaint lodged by the Federation for initiating high treason trial against Musharraf on December 24 in absence of Musharraf, who could not make it to the court due to bomb scare.

The court has asked government to ensure adequate security to the former president from his residence to the court premises on January 1, when the case will be heard.

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Asia News/ NationalTurk Pakistan News