Pervaiz slams court proceeding, terms it a hijacked trial

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League Central Information Secretary Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Monday said trial of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is not an open trial.

Commenting on the situation emerging after sudden control of security of the courts compound by Rangers, the Senator said, "it is not an open trial. It is a hijacked trial."

The Senator was asked whether he thinks if it was an open trial as was declared by the court to be kept open, the Senator said, media, ministers and other people were stopped to enter the compound. "It is not an open trial."

When asked who had hijacked the trial, the Senator said, "the Supreme Court could better answer this question because ensuring implementation of the constitution is responsibility of the apex court."

He said Nawaz Sharif has appeared before the court that manifest that he respects the law of the land and the courts.

"Today people can see that an elected former Prime Minister is appearing before the court and a dictator Pervez Musharraf had absconded from the country," he added.

When asked about helping out Musharraf by the former Interior Minister of the PML-N, the Senator said, "he could not even help us. How could he help Musharraf leave the country."

He said former Prime Minister and the PML-N is paying the price for supremacy of the constitution and democracy.

"But, it had been our bad luck that power rests with somebody and authority is exercised by others. Today it has become ample clear that who is exercising authority," he added.

Pervaiz Rashid said PML-N always tried for supremacy of the constitution and democracy and are paying price for this endeavor.

He said thrice elected Prime Minister is appearing before the court and the court has been converted into a `closed court' despite that the trial was declared by the court as an open trial.