Imran Khan may participate in Pak polls

ISLAMABAD: In a move that might come as a jolt to some of Pakistan's opposition parties, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan hinted that he might take part in the general election even if it was held under President Pervez Musharraf.

"If majority opposition parties decide to contest the 2007 elections in presence of General Pervez Musharraf, Tehreek-e-Insaf will also follow them," he told Geo News in an interview.

Khan is leading the Tehreek-e-Insaf (TI) and is the lone member of the party in the outgoing Parliament.

A supporter-turned-critic of Musharraf, Khan aligned with Jamat-e-Islami, the Islamic political party that campaigned for the ouster of Musharraf.

It is high time to make preparations for the elections, he said adding, the united opposition has to decide about the poll preparations.

Earlier, Khan along with the JI and the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), headed by former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif were considering a proposal to boycott the polls under Musharraf, a move which evoked cold response from the Pakistan Peoples Party, (PPP) headed by ex-premier, Benazir Bhutto.

PPP said it would take part in the polls scheduled for November this year even if they were held under Musharraf.

The issue is expected to be discussed during the all opposition party conference convened by Sharif in his exile in London next month.

'Musharraf liable to be prosecuted for treason'

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf is liable to be prosecuted for "treason for subverting the
Constitution", the president of Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, said on Thursday.

Musharraf "can be prosecuted for treason under Article six for subverting the Constitution", said Munir Malik, newly elected president of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).

Interacting with mediapersons, Malik said that Article six is self-explanatory and under its sub clause three the parliament shall decide the punishment for treason.

The SCBA will soon devise a strategy to hold anti-Musharraf demonstrations, Malik said, adding that the first protest meeting would be held in Karachi on March 23.

Malik also demanded that the Supreme Judicial Council should be activated to make the judges accountable.

"It is a constitutional requirement and hopefully the Chief Justice has a dynamic vision and will definitely revive this dormant institution for the betterment of the judiciary, he said.