PM leaves Mush fate to House

Gilani has no personal views, toes party line on the matter

“They (Supreme Court) have given their verdict. I have been saying from day one that Parliament is the forum which has to take these decisions. Let the Parliament decide the fate of Musharraf,” he said.

Gilani said he did not hold a personal opinion in the matter. “My party (the ruling PPP) will have an opinion and the party will never support a dictator,” he said in an interview to a TV news channel when he was asked if Musharraf would be brought to trial.

On Friday, the apex court declared the emergency imposed by Musharraf in November 2007 as unconstitutional and illegal. The ruling has made it possible for the former military ruler to be tried for treason for violating the Constitution. However, such a trial can only be initiated by the government.      Gilani said he appreciated the apex court’s decision declaring the emergency and Musharraf’s subsequent actions as null and void. As Pakistan now has a free media, strong political forces and an active judiciary, people have more expectations though the government has to act with a balanced approach, Gilani said. “Parliament has to act very maturely,” he added.

A parliamentary committee has been constituted by the Speaker of the National Assembly to recommend Constitutional reforms, which will be placed before Parliament.

Asked about the possibility of scrapping of the 17th amendment of the Constitution which gives the President sweeping powers to dissolve Parliament and dismiss Premier, Gilani said the PPP and the main opposition PML-N do not have the required two-thirds majority in Parliament to undo the measure.

‘Charge Mush with treason’

A lawyer on Sunday asked the Pakistani police to register a case of treason against former President Pervez Musharraf in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict, reports PTI from Islamabad. Rawalpindi-based lawyer Chaudhry Khurram Manzoor submitted an application at the Secretariat police station here asking for registration of a case against Musharraf, who is currently in Europe. Manzoor also said Musharraf should be tried for betraying the nation.