Signing emergency order as COAS was Musharraf,s mistake

ISLAMABAD: The head of the team that investigated the high treason charges against retired General Pervez Musharraf, on Tuesday, admitted before a special court that in his capacity as president, he could constitutionally impose a state of emergency. But he maintained that the November 3, 2007 proclamation he issued as chief of army staff was unconstitutional. During his cross examination, FIA Additional Director General Khalid Qureshi said that in his capacity as president, Gen Musharraf could have imposed emergency following advice from then-Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. He was answering a question, posed to him by Musharraf’s counsel Farogh Nasim, asking him whether the general was empowered on November 3, 2007 to impose emergency while holding dual office of president and chief of army staff (COAS) However, Mr Qureshi stated under oath that the prime minister did not advise Gen Musharraf to impose emergency, adding that Musharraf issued the November 3 proclamation as COAS, not as president.