Islamabad, August 06: The Pakistani premier says the government is bound to implement the decision of parliament if lawmakers pass a resolution to hold trial of Pervez Musharraf.
“If the house unanimously brings a resolution, we will implement it. I am with the parliament,” Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said, commenting on the imposition of the state of emergency in the country in 2007 by former military ruler Musharraf, a Press TV correspondent reported.
Critics say this is the clearest indication of a change of policy in this regard announced by Gilani, who was addressing the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The statement comes days after the country’s Supreme Court ruled that Musharraf’s imposition of emergency rule two years ago was unconstitutional.
Earlier, Pakistan’s chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry also mentioned that the parliament is the sole authority to decide on the trial of Musharraf for his alleged rebellion against the state.
Chaudhry, an arch opponent of Musharraf, declared that the court’s responsibility is to remain ‘neutral’ saying the ordinances issued by the former military ruler during his emergency rule could easily be thrown away by the parliament.
In November 2007, Musharraf discharged Chaudhry and dozens of his senior colleagues amid fears that senior judges would disqualify him from contesting a presidential election while in military uniform.
According to the Article 6 of Pakistan Constitution, a person convicted of high treason is punishable by death.
—-Agencies