ISLAMABAD: The Special Court has issued detailed judgment consisting of 169 pages in high treason case against former dictator General (R) Pervez Musharraf here today that includes a dissenting note by Justice Nazar Akbar.
The three-member court was headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and comprised Justice Nazar Akbar of the Sindh High Court and Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court.
The Court had awarded General (R) Pervez Musharraf death sentence in high treason case with 2-1 majority on Tuesday (17th day of December, 2019).
In its detailed judgement Special Court had ordered the Interior Ministry to bring the convict back via Interpol. The Court held that former dictator would have to surrender himself before the law until then no appeal would be entertained.
In its detailed order the Court has also stated that those who facilitated his exit from Pakistan would also be punished.
General (R) Musharraf rejects Special Court’s verdict against himself
DUBAI: In his video message General (R) Pervez Musharraf has rejected the Special Court’s verdict against himself.
He held: “I heard the special court’s verdict against me on television. There is no example of such a verdict in the past where neither the defendant nor his lawyers were given permission to speak in his defense.
“I call this verdict suspicious because supremacy of the law was ignored from the start to the end during the hearings of this case. However, in my opinion, Chief Justice Khosa showed his intentions and his determination to the public himself by saying that he ensured a speedy verdict in this case. How can the judges who gained personal benefits during my tenure issue a judgment against me?”
A
PTI Govt set to defend Gen. (R) Musharraf who rejects the verdict against himself in a video message
ISLAMABAD: Calling the high treason trial against him unfair PTI government had decided to defend General (R) Pervez Musharraf who had also rejected the Special Court’s verdict against himself in a video message.
Attorney General Anwar Mansoor has said that he would defend the law in the case but not any individual. According to him former dictator had not been given the right of fair trial during the case tried in a special court and the judgement was announced in absentia sans recording statement of the accused.
Attorney General Anwar Mansoor held that the verdict raised questions about “urgency in pronouncing the judgement when Mr Musharraf was in critical condition in ICU. Musharraf was not given a chance to record his statement under Article 342 (of the Constitution), to present his testimony and witnesses and his request to record his statement through video link or before a commission was turned down by the judge.
“There is no question that a person who had committed treason must be punished but in this case the right of fair trial guaranteed under the Constitution was not ensured. A trial should not just be fair but also seen to be fair.” According to the Attorney General Anwar Mansoor one of the major flaws in the case was that those who might have assisted Gen (R) Musharraf in enforcing emergency in the country had not been made party in the case. He said if Gen Musharraf had been given a chance to record his statement and present his witnesses.
Attorney General Anwar Mansoor pointed out that the complaint against former dictator General (R) Pervez Musharraf had been filed by a former interior secretary, whereas under the 18th Amendment only a PM and members of his cabinet had powers to authorize any person for filing such petitions.
News Pakistan
