ISLAMABAD:
A special court in Pakistan on Tuesday handed down death penalty to former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf in a high treason case, Pakistan media reported.
A special court headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and comprising Justices Nazar Akbar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Shahid Karim of the LHC, announced the verdict it had reserved on November 19.
The former military dictator was sentenced to death in a high treason case for suspending the Constitution and imposing emergency rule in the country in November 2007, a punishable offence for which he was indicted in 2014.
Earlier, the date for the verdict was fixed for November 28.
However, days before the final verdict was to be announced, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government sought deferment of the announcement of the verdict and in a fresh petition, requested the Islamabad High Court that ‘The special court be restrained from passing final judgement in the trial’, Pakistan daily ‘Dawn’ said.
On November 27, the IHC stopped the special court from issuing its verdict reserved in the case on November 19. Additionally, they directed the government to notify a prosecution team by December 5.
On December 5, the new prosecution team for the government appeared before the special court after which the special court adjourned proceedings till December 17, adding that it would hear arguments and announce the verdict on the same day. The former military chief is currently in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
