Court rejects challenge against Musharraf's trial for treason

A Pakistani court on Thursday rejected an appeal against the formation of a special court to try former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on a charge of high treason.

A two-judge bench of the Islamabad high court led by Chief Justice Anwar Kansi rejected the petition filed by lawyer Riaz Hanif Rahi, a member of the Punjab Bar Council.

In his plea, Rahi contended that the notification for setting up the special court should be cancelled as it was not in accordance with the Constitution and law. During the hearing, the High Court said the decision to try Musharraf was taken by the government and the person on trial himself had not objected to the move.

Musharraf's lawyer in the treason case described Rahi as a "rogue lawyer". "This petition has nothing to do with us. He is a rogue lawyer who has done it on his own. We are still in the process of devising our strategy," said Mohammad Ali Saif, the counsel for Musharraf.

The special court was formed by the government to try 70-year-old Musharraf for imposing emergency and suspending the Constitution in 2007. It has summoned the former army chief to appear before it on December 24.

This is the first time in Pakistan's history that a former military dictator is facing trial for treason. If convicted, Musharraf could face either life imprisonment or the death penalty.

Musharraf came to power in 1999 by toppling a government led by current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and ruled till 2008, when he was forced to resign after being threatened with impeachment.

He lived in self-exile for about five years and returned to Pakistan in March but was hauled to court in different cases, including one over the 2007 assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.