Pervez Musharraf's lawyer denies quitting treason case

The prosecution chief in the high treason trial of Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf today said he would pursue the case to its ’logical conclusion’ and denied he was thinking of quitting. Akram Sheikh, who is heading the prosecution team in the high-profile trial, said he will continue to fight the case before the Special Court, the High Court and the Supreme Court. “I have never even thought of quitting the case. I will take it to its logical end,” Sheikh told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_1444289” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] Asked about a media report claiming that he has quit the case, he said: “The report is rubbish. 100 per cent rubbish.” He claimed such reports were “planted stories” to remove him from the prosecution team. “I am the prosecution chief and will continue to argue my case. Only the court can stop me by issuing a quo warranto,” he said. A quo warranto is a prerogative writ requiring the person to whom it is directed to show what authority they have for exercising some right or power they claim to hold. During the hearing yesterday, while arguing over the appointment of the government prosecutor, Musharraf’s counsel Anwar Mansoor said Sheikh had been linked with the Prime Minister and his partiality was conspicuous. He said that the role of a prosecutor was to assist the court, and not to seek punishment. Sheikh said the lawyers of Musharraf was using delaying tactics in the case. The defence counsel completed arguments over the appointment of prosecutor and member prosecution team Dr Tariq Hassan would start his arguments regarding appointment of Sheikh from today. Both the defence and the prosecution have been involved in a verbal duel since the beginning of the case. Musharraf’s case is the first instance in the Pakistan’s history that a military ruler has been put on trial. PTI