Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has vowed to defend himself in courts following a Supreme Court ruling that declared the emergency imposed by him in 2007 during his tenure in office as unconstitutional.
Talking to reporters in Washington, Musharraf, currently on a lecture tour of the U.S., said that he would defend himself in the country's courts as he was ready to face all charges leveled against him. He said his lawyers were studying the detailed verdict of the Supreme Court in this regard.
Musharraf's statement came after the Supreme Court Thursday released a detailed judgment to accompany a July declaration that found the former president had violated the Constitution of Pakistan when he declared emergency rule in November 2007.
The court found in July that Musharraf's removal of many members of the country's judiciary, including current Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry and subsequent appointment of Abdul Hameed Dogar as chief justice was unconstitutional and, as a result, judges appointed in consultation with Dogar were removed from office.
Thursday's judgment declared Musharraf's actions illegal, calling him a usurper.
Separately, former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf, a close confidant of Musharraf, also told reporters that the ex-President and former army chief had decided to defend himself if needed. He also said President Asif Ali Zardari had not met Musharraf, either in New York or Washington, when he was in the U.S. for the U.N. General Assembly session.
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