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Charges to be framed against Sharif tomorrow

Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shahbaz and five other top officials will be arraigned tomorrow in an anti-terrorism court on charges of hijacking, attempt to murder and high treason to mark the formal opening of a swift trial that could take them to the death row.

Just a day before the high profile trial begins, the military government late last night amended the anti-terrorism law to bring in high court judges at the head of the special courts and changed the schedule to include in their purview crimes like hijacking. The trial, likely to be decided within a week, opens amid growing fears that Sharif's fate may already have been sealed, especially after one of his close allies and co-accused turned approver.

The two-time premier has expressed fears that the army rulers want to hang him for crimes he did not commit. ''I only ask for an open, free and fair trial and their cooked up story will expose itself and the world will judge the hollowness of the accusations,'' Sharif has said.

The United States shares his concern and has deputed an observer from its Karachi consulate to attend the proceedings as part of the Clinton administration's efforts to keep a close eye on the trial.

The anti-terrorism court that will hear the case is a product of Sharif's efforts for speedy disposal of cases to contain growing ethnic violence. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, the judges are required to hear these cases on a day-by-day basis and pronounce their verdict within a month. However, Sharif can take solace from the fact that the Supreme Court had forced his government to restore to the convicts the right to appeal in a higher court of law.

Laying of formal charges, earlier scheduled for November 26, was delayed for a week on a prosecution request which wanted more time to ''assess all witnesses and evidence'' following the formal arrest of former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, former chief of the Accountability Bureau Saifur Rehman and Saeed Mehdi, who was principal secretary to the ousted premier.

Nawaz Sharif has been named the main accused in the case that stems from the dramatic incidents of October 12, when Sharif dismissed the army chief General Pervez Musharraf, and the PIA plane carrying him home from Colombo was denied permission to land by the Karachi control tower.

Stung by the dismissal of its chief, the army threw out the democratically-elected Pakistan Muslim League government in a bloodless coup.

Syed Ghous Ali Shah, advisor to the former PM on Sindh affairs Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-chairman of the PIA, and Rana Maqbool Ahmed, the former inspector-general of Sindh police are the other accused in the case.

Former chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Aminullah Chaudhry turned approver in the case in return for a pardon. According to the prosecution, he has recorded a lengthy statement around which the military government will build its case.

He reportedly told the court that Sharif had ordered the plane diverted to a destination outside the country. Eighteen other prosecution witnesses also have recorded statements.

Chaudhry has, however, said he turned approver in the face of terrible pressure brought upon him. He can be tried if he backs out of the deal with the military government.

The PML, meanwhile, has constituted a team of legal luminaries led by former law minister Khalid Anwer to defend the Sharif.

UNI

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