Pakistan's Supreme Court rejects petition seeking Musharraf trial

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday, while putting up objections, rejected a constitutional petition seeking trial of former President Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the local NNI news agency reported.

The court said that the petitioner had no locus standi to move the petition and the Supreme Court was not the proper forum to file such petition.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Zafar Ali Shah had filed the petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution making federal government and Pervez Musharraf as respondents in the case.

The petitioner citing the Supreme Court's verdict that had declared the Nov. 3, 2007 acts by then President Musharraf as illegal and void, pleaded the court to order the government to register the case against former Army Chief under Article 6.

The Constitution's Article 6 says: "Any person who abrogates or attempts or conspires to abrogate, subverts or attempts or conspires to subvert the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason."

In his plea, Shah maintained that Musharraf committed high treason against the state by declaring emergency on Nov. 3, 2007 and dismissing more than 60 judges of the apex courts.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani earlier had ruled out his government would seek a trial of the former military president for high treason, at the risk of a political fallout.

The opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar had accused the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of forgetting its promises in the past to try Musharraf.

Musharraf resigned in 2008 under the yoke of impeachment from the new rulers who torpedoed his allies in the general elections.