I may be hanged, says Sharif

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (PTI) — A defiant former Premier Nawaz Sharif today expressed apprehension that he may be hanged while putting in a strong demand for a fair trial, as an anti-terrorist court judge remanded him along with four others co-accused in judicial custody till Friday.

Mr Sharif and others were produced for the second time before the Judge Rehmat Hussain Jaffri in Karachi this morning who ordered them to be transferred to jail till November 26 (Friday), turning down the prosecutions’ plea for enhanced police custody.

"There is no justification for further remand," the judge observed in his order which means that Mr Sharif can now only be questioned with the permission of the court.

Speaking to newsmen on the stairs of the court, Mr Sharif, for the first time, expressed his apprehension that he might be handed out a death sentence.

"That is what they (rulers) want to give me", he responded when he was asked that whether he may be given death sentence in the case adding "we are all innocent. We are not involved in any of these accusations or allegations that have been framed against us".

On Friday the court is expected to formally take note of charges of treason, attempted murder and hijacking against former Prime Minister.

Referring to these, Mr Sharif said: "It is cooked up story. It will expose itself. I only want an open, free and fair trial and let the world judge the hollowness of the accusation against me".

Mr Sharif and others were brought to the court under heavy security in an armoured car after bomb disposal squads had carried out a thorough search of the court premises.

As his escorted motorcade made its way into the court building, lathi-wielding cops kept noisy slogan shouting supporters at bay.

Mr Sharif, compared to his first public appearance, looked more relaxed as he, while going into the court room, found time to speak to journalists, who had made their way there.

The deposed Prime Minister assailed the army take-over as unconstitutional and unjustified. "We are a democratically elected government... No one has the power to remove us from the office through extraconstitutional means".

He said: "The action which was taken on October 12 was a serious action," an apparent reference to army coup. "They are trying to justify the action while trying to dramatise the issue of the aircraft, which has led to charges against me", he remarked.

The judge directed the jail superintendent to make arrangements for confronting the accused with the audio tapes and other recorded data pertaining to PIA flight on October 12, during the interrogation.

On the request of the Advocate- General of Sind, the court allowed Mr Sharif and other accused to be taken to the court of Judicial Magistrate Malir, for recording of statements of two more prosecution witnesses later in the day.

Mr Sharif and others were accused of hatching criminal conspiracy to prevent the landing of the PIA plane carrying Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf and nearly 200 other passengers at the Karachi airport on October 12 and thus endangering the lives of all as the plane was running short of fuel. The charges if proved carry death sentence.

The incident occurred on October 12 which led to the army taking control of the country toppling Mr Sharif’s 32-month-old government and later Gen Musharraf declaring himself as the chief executive of the country.

Other accused in the case are former adviser to Mr Sharif on Sind affairs Ghaus Ali Shah, former Chairman of PIA Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former DG of Civil Aviation Aminullah Choudhury and former IG of Sind Rana Maqbool.

PML moves court against coup

ISLAMABAD, Nov 22 (AFP) — Deposed Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif's party today moved the Supreme Court to overturn last month's dismissal of his elected government in a military coup, lawyers said.

The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) asked the court to set aside the "illegal and unconstitutional" overthrow of the Sharif government and the suspension of the federal and provincial assemblies, they said.

The petition was filed by advocate Malik Mohammed Rafiq Rajwana and Mr Khalied Anwar, who was Law Minister in the Sharif's Cabinet.

All actions taken by military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf, since seizing power on October 12, had been challenged, Mr Rafiq said.

The petition will now be sent by the court’s registrar to Chief Justice Saeeduzaman Siddiqui, who will set up a Bench and fix a date for a hearing.

General Musharraf proclaimed a state of Emergency two days after the coup and suspended the Constitution and Parliament and declared himself chief executive.

He also promulgated an order prohibiting the Supreme Court and high courts from taking any action against him.

"They are saying no action of the chief executive can be challenged anywhere, but at the same time courts have been asked to work under the constitution," Mr Rafiq said.

India not averse to talks: PM

NEW DELHI, Nov 22 (PTI) — Prime Minster Atal Behari Vajpayee said today India was not averse to talks with the military regime in Pakistan provided an atmosphere conducive to a dialogue was created for meaningful parleys.

"We are prepared for talks but a conducive atmosphere has to be created for a meaningful dialogue," Mr Vajpayee told reporters after the swearing-in of four new Union Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Replying to a specific question whether New Delhi was willing to resume talks with the military regime led by Gen Pervez Musharraf, Mr Vajpayee said: "Yes, the present set-up in Pakistan."

Maintaining that India was not attaching any conditions for the start of the dialogue, he said "it should not be a dialogue for the sake of it. No condition has been put by us. The atmosphere should be conducive for the talks to be fruitful."

New Delhi has been maintaining that Islamabad must put a halt to cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country for the resumption of the talks.