Pakistan's Supreme Court Wednesday issued notice to former president Pervez Musharraf to explain his Nov. 3, 2007 imposition of emergency, suspension of the constitution, firing of the Supreme Court judges, and promulgation of the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO). Musharraf is currently staying in London with his family. He could not immediately be reached for comment. The next hearing in the case is on July 29. Musharraf may appear before the Supreme Court either through his lawyer or in person. “If he does not do it, the court can initiate proceedings against him in his absence,” Wasi Zafar, a law minister during Musharraf's rule, said. The case could lay the groundwork for future action – even a trial – against the one-time military ruler. The 14-member bench of the apex court that issued the court order was headed by reinstated Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who had been among dozens of independent-minded judges Musharraf had fired during the 2007 emergency. Musharraf, as army chief, seized power in a 1999 military coup. In early 2007, he dismissed the Supreme Court chief justice, Chaudhry, which triggered mass protests led by lawyers. The court managed to bring Chaudhry back, but then Musharraf declared the emergency, tossing out Chaudhry and other judges. Under domestic pressure, and prodding from the United States, Musharraf lifted the emergency rule after about six weeks, stepped down as army chief and allowed parliamentary elections to take place the following February. The elections brought his political foes to power, and they ultimately pushed him to resign the presidency in August 2008. But the coalition government consisting of Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party and Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N soon fell apart over the slow pace of reinstating the ousted jurists. Ultimately, facing escalating lawyer-led protests President Zardari agreed to reinstate Chaudhry in March. Now, by moving to put Musharraf on trial, the Supreme Court is all set to disqualify all the judges who collaborated with Musharraf and were sworn in under his PCO and state of emergency. – SG/ AgenciesOn July 29 former president Pervez Musharraf must appear before the Supreme Court either through his lawyer or in person to explain: • Why he imposed emergency on Nov 3, 2007 • Why he suspended the constitution • Why he fired the Supreme Court judges • Why he promulgated the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO). __
