Musharraf sentenced to death in case of treason
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Tuesday sentenced former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to death on charges of high treason and subverting the Constitution in a case related to the emergency he imposed in 2007, a move that comes as a major embarrassment for the army high command.
This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a former army chief has been sentenced to death. The powerful army, usually considered immune from prosecution, expressed its opposition to the verdict and said Musharraf can “never be a traitor”. The Imran Khan government said it would review the special court’s decision.
Musharraf, 76, was sentenced in absentia as he has been in self-imposed exile since a travel ban was lifted in 2016 to allow him to seek medical treatment abroad. The treason trial began in 2013 and is one of several cases related to the state of emergency from November 2007 to February 2008, when all civil liberties, human rights, and the democratic process were suspended.
The former president, who was born in Old Delhi, has been living in Dubai and is said to be very ill and unlikely to travel home to face the sentence. Pakistan and the UAE have no extradition treaty and Dubai authorities are unlikely to arrest him.
An ex-army chief... who has served the country for over 40 years, fought wars for the defence of the country can surely never be a traitor.
PAKISTAN ARMY STATEMENT
The special court said in a summary that it analysed complaints, records, arguments and facts, and reached a majority verdict, with two of the three judges giving the decision against Musharraf.
The military’s media arm said the verdict has been received “with a lot of pain and anguish by rank and file of Pakistan Armed Forces”. It added: “An ex-army Chief, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee and President of Pakistan, who has served the country for over 40 years, fought wars for the defence of the country can surely never be a traitor.”
The military further said the “due legal process seems to have been ignored, including constitution of the special court, denial of fundamental right of self defence, undertaking individual specific proceedings and concluding the case in haste”.
It added that Pakistan’s armed forces “expect that justice will be dispensed in line with the Constitution”.
Musharraf would have the right to challenge his sentence if he returns to Pakistan, where the military maintains a strong grip on power and has ruled the country for half its 72-year history. The case was heard by a bench comprising justices Waqar Ahmad Seth of the Peshawar high court, Shahid Karim of the Lahore high court and Nazar Akbar of the Sindh high court.