A Pakistan court on Tuesday sentenced former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in absentia to death for treason, state media reported, an unprecedented move in a country where the armed forces are often considered immune from prosecution, SIA repoerts.
The case centres around Musharraf’s decision to suspend the constitution and impose emergency rule in 2007, according to his lawyer, Akhtar Shah. The controversial move ultimately sparked protests against Musharraf, leading to his resignation in the face of impeachment proceedings.
Musharraf has been in self-imposed exile ever since a travel ban was lifted in 2016 that allowed him to seek medical treatment abroad. The 76-year-old has since spent most of his time between Dubai and London.
Military slams the sentence
The verdict drew swift condemnation from the country's armed forces which have ruled the country for almost half its 72-year history. The court's decision marks the first time a former leader of the armed forces has been convicted of treason and sentenced to death in Pakistan, where the military maintains strong influence and senior officers are often considered immune from prosecution. Pakistan's military swiftly slammed the special court's ruling, saying in a statement that the armed forces were in "pain and anguish" over the decision.
Death sentence
A three-member bench of the special court, headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, delivered the verdict in the high treason case.
In March 2014, Musharraf was charged with high treason for implementing emergency rule and suspending the constitution in 2007. In August 2017, he was declared an "absconder" by Pakistan's anti-terrorism court in the verdict on the 2007 murder of Benazir Bhutto, a two-time prime minister. The court, in its short order on Tuesday, said after analysing complaints, records, arguments and facts in the case for three months that it found Musharraf guilty of high treason in accordance with Article 6 of the Pakistan constitution. It was a majority verdict, with two of the three judges making the decision against Musharraf.
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