Musharraf shuns Pakistan court hearing on misrule

[Snazzy]

Source: Reuters

Musharraf shuns Pakistan court hearing on misrule
Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:07pm EDT

By Simon Cameron-Moore

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistan Supreme Court hearing into allegations of misrule by former president Pervez Musharraf resumed Wednesday without any lawyers present to defend the ex-army chief, who left for London two months ago.

Last week, a 14-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry ordered Musharraf to answer charges that he had violated the constitution by ousting the judiciary and imposing emergency rule in November 2007 in a desperate move to extend his rule.

Fighting a Taliban insurgency in the northwest, dire economic challenges and doubts about its own standards of governance, Pakistan's fragile civilian government can ill-afford the distraction of raking over the past, according to critics.

Others say leaders should be held accountable if democratic institutions are to grow and future generals should be made to think twice before launching coups against civilian governments.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/gc05/idUSTRE56S20G20090729

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BBC:

Musharraf court notice unheeded
An adverse ruling may put pressure on Mr Musharraf

A court notice issued last week calling on former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to explain why he imposed emergency rule has gone unheeded.

Neither the former president nor his lawyers were in the Supreme Court on Wednesday to explain the 2007 decision.

"Is somebody appearing on behalf of General Musharraf?" Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry asked.

But his query was met with a resounding silence. Lawyers for Mr Musharraf say they have yet to receive any notice.

Possible treason charge

A 14-member bench, headed by Mr Chaudhry, issued a notice to Mr Musharraf to appear in person or through counsel on 29 July.

Malik Qayyum, who was attorney general under Mr Musharraf, was present in court but did not rise to represent him. Mr Musharraf is believed to be in Britain.

...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8173942.stm

[cosmicone]

1. hahahahahahahaha

looks like Mushy ain't going back to Pakistan.

The final common pathways for Pakistan's leaders -- assassination or exile :rofl:

This is what happens when egotistical strongmen who think they are mogul emperors use terrorism as official state policy.

Hope Pakistan wakes up, gets over Kashmir, dumps terrorism creation/maintenance/funding/training and improves the lives of its poor people by giving them a democracy, rule of law, education and healthcare instead of having pipe dreams of bringing India under Islamic rule.

[Igel]

2. True, in part.

But isn't it convenient that the court with Chaudhry as chief justice reinstates Sharif's ability to run for office, and a few weeks later Chaudhry's presiding over the bench that hears the charge against Musharraf?

Can you say "conflict of interest"?

By many standards, Pakistan was better off under Musharraf than it had been under Sharif and Bhutto. More press freedom (even under the repression shortly before he stepped down there were more independent press sources than under Sharif or Bhutto), more economic growth, more resistance to Islamism, more attempts to regulate madaris' curricula and monitor their funding sourcse, more negotiations and "trust building" with India. He had problems--press repression, economic disparities, blunders with Islamism and the obligatory sabre-rattling, not to mention continued attempts to keep Afghanistan a Pakistani puppet and a backing off of education reform, but apparently the primary problem wasn't the egregious delay in increasing electricification or decreasing the wealth gap between rich and poor (one largely fueled by education and fertility), but in how Musharraf came to power.

[cosmicone]

3. Musharraf also was the terrorist in chief

He engineered the Kargil excursion only to get his ass kicked. He was the director of the ISI and the bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul was ordered by him. He is also the creator of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist groups.

Musharraf is a terrorist and he should rot in hell.

[MisterP]

4. ya might wanna bold the first story's last line: it's--timely n/t