Pervez Musharraf indicted in high treason case

A special court in Pakistan on Monday formally charged former military President General (retired) Pervez Musharraf over the high treason charges for abrogating the country’s constitution when he had imposed emergency rule in 2007, court officials said.

Musharraf rejected the charges and pleaded non-guilty when he was allowed to speak on the charges. Musharraf told the court he has served Pakistan for over 40 years and also fought two wars.

The court had issued arrest order for the former President if he refused to appear on March 31^st.  

The charge-sheet says that Musharraf, as the army chief, had illegally and unconstitutionally ordered imposition of emergency on November 2007.

Justice Ms. Tahira Safdar, a member on the three-member bench read out the charges.

The former military ruler heard all the charges and pleaded non-guilty.

Musharraf told the court that he respects the courts and he appeared nearly 17 times in courts in various cases. He explained his government performance and said he had done a lot for Pakistan.

Musharraf arrived in the court in Islamabad amid heavy security from a military hospital in the city of Rawalpindi where he was admitted in a military hospital in January. A police team had reached the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology to arrest Musharraf in case he refused to appear.

Musharraf, who had taken over in a bloodless coup in 1999 and ruled the country until 2008 as the army chief and the President, also faces some other criminal charges including the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. She was killed in December 2007.

Officials said that nearly 2000 paramilitary troops and the police had been deployed on the route between the hospital and the court.

Legal experts say the court can now formally begin high treason case after the indictment.

Pakistan Taliban announce one-month ceasefire

By Tahir Khan

Pakistani Taliban, blamed for most of the terror attacks, on Saturday declared ceasefire for a month and asked its activists to stop all attacks amid airstrikes by the security forces in Waziristan tribal region.

The Taliban spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, also called upon the government to stop airstrikes with a positive response to the Taliban's ceasefire decision.

The ceasefire was announced after a deadlock in rare peace dialogue between the government and a team of the Taliban intermediaries.

Last month a government committee had refused to hold more talks with the Taliban team unless they stop terror attacks.

The Taliban had previously refused to declare ceasefire and had called upon the government to announce ceasefire first.

The security forces had started targeted airstrikes in Waziristan tribal region after the Taliban refusal to stop attacks.

Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had hinted in the parliament on Friday the security forces could launch a major operation in the coming weeks.

Analysts believe the Taliban have announced the ceasefire in view of the growing pressure from the army.

"On the appeal from senior religious scholars, in respect to the Taliban Dialogue Committee and in the best interest of Islam and the country, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan declares ceasefire for a month," a Taliban statement said.

The Taliban spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, said that the Taliban's senior leaders have directed all units to show respect and implement the declaration of the ceasefire with the government and stop all attacks.

"We hope that the government will also seriously consider our decision and will make positive progress and will keep the dialogue process from politics,” he said.

The government committee welcomed the Taliban decision, which has raised hopes for the revival of the dialogue process.

The Taliban spokesman claimed that they had started talks with the government with good objectives and seriousness.

"As the government has positively responded to our suggestions to end the deadlock and ceasefire, so we have decided to declare ceasefire," he said.

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