ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has affirmed the death sentence of former president and military ruler General (retired) Pervez Musharraf in a high treason case.
The verdict was delivered by a bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, along with Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Aminuddin Khan, and Justice Athar Minallah.
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Four years ago, a special court had sentenced the ex-ruler to capital punishment under Article 6 of the Constitution for imposing an emergency during civilian rule. The Chief Justice of Pakistan upheld the special court’s death sentence for the former four-star general.
Subsequently, the Lahore High Court nullified the death sentence, deeming the special court’s trial unconstitutional. Musharraf, who had provided crucial support to the United States after the 9/11 attacks, passed away in the UAE last year. He had filed an appeal against the special court’s decision to impose the death penalty on December 17, 2019, for suspending the Constitution in November 2007. The case then reached the Supreme Court.
The apex court announced the verdict on the appeal filed by the former general against the death sentence, declaring it ineffective due to non-compliance. The bench noted that Musharraf’s legal representatives did not pursue the case despite multiple notices and rejected the appeal. Musharraf’s counsel informed the court that he had attempted to contact the family, but they never responded.
Pervez Musharraf served as the 10th President and 13th former army chief, playing a prominent role in Pakistan’s political, military, and strategic landscape for nearly three decades. His tenure was marked by strained relationships and controversies over political and national issues. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif dismissed him, leading to a dramatic incident on October 12, 1999, when Sharif attempted to remove Musharraf from office while the latter was out of the country. Consequently, the armed forces took control of the airport and other government installations, ousting Sharif and paving the way for Musharraf to assume leadership of a military government.
