ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistan lawyer has withdrawn himself as chief prosecutor from the high treason case against former military ruler Gen. (retired) Pervez Musharraf.
Akram Sheikh was appointed as head of the prosecution team by the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government which is no longer in power.
In his resignation letter sent to the interior secretary on Monday, Sheikh expressed his inability to proceed with the case after the imminent change of government at the center, the local daily newspaper Dawn reported.
“If the PTI wanted to continue with the case, it could engage a lawyer to proceed with the case,” Sheikh was quoted as saying by Dawn.
The outgoing PML-N government had lodged a high treason case against the former president soon after coming to power in 2013.
Musharraf was indicted by the special court in the case for abrogation of constitution by promulgation of emergency rule in the country on Nov. 3, 2007. However, the special court could not proceed against the former army chief as Islamabad High Court stayed the decision and Musharraf was allowed to leave the country.
The special court resumed hearing of the case earlier this year and ordered the blocking of Musharraf’s Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) and passport in May.
Now that the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) is likely to form the next government, it will choose how to pursue the case against Musharraf.
Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League withdrew its candidate, Muhammad Amja, in support of PTI chief Imran Khan in NA-53 constituency of Islamabad in the recent general elections.
Head of prosecution team withdraws from Musharraf treason case
Head of prosecution team withdraws from Musharraf treason case
- A high treason case was lodged against former President Gen. (retired) Pervez Musharraf for his role in the promulgation of emergency rule in the country on Nov. 3, 2007
- Senior advocate Akram Sheikh was appointed head of the prosecution team by Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government
Germany takes delivery of Israeli-made underwater drone
- "The army said the Blue Whale was the navy’s “largest and most advanced unmanned underwater vehicle to date“
- The device was tested in the Baltic Sea
BERLIN: The German navy on Wednesday said it had taken delivery of an Israeli-made Blue Whale underwater drone intended for reconnaissance and detecting “hybrid threats at sea.”
The autonomous underwater vehicle, developed by Israeli company IAI together with German submarine- and warship-maker TKMS, was received in the northern port of Eckernfoerde, the navy said in a statement.
The army on its website said the Blue Whale was the navy’s “largest and most advanced unmanned underwater vehicle to date.”
The device was tested in the Baltic Sea, a flashpoint for tensions between Russia and NATO since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the army said.
Military experts and European leaders say Russia has ramped up its “hybrid war” in the strategic region — now bordered entirely by NATO members, with the exception of Russia — through airspace incursions and suspected sabotage of undersea cables.
TKMS said the Blue Whale was capable of “conducting reconnaissance operations, detecting targets above and below the sea surface, collecting acoustic information, and locating sea mines on the seabed.”
Israel and Germany have upped their defense cooperation in recent months and in January signed a security pact to expand joint work on counterterrorism and cyber defense.
In December, Germany approved a $3.1 billion expansion of a contract for the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile defense system, which is Israeli-made and developed with US support.
