Pakistan’s Ex-President Musharraf given death penalty

Ex-President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani court in a long-drawn high treason case against him. The former military dictator was sentenced to death by a three-member bench of a special court. This was for not only suspending the Constitution but also imposing emergency rule in the country in November 2007. A punishable offense for which he was indicted in 2014.

A three-member bench of the special court, headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, handed Musharraf, 76, death sentence.

As reported by Dawn, The treason case against Pervez Musharraf was initiated by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The case was pending since 2013. The previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the former army chief over the imposition of an extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. It had led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges.

The ex-president of Pakistan has been living in exile in Dubai since March 2016. He had left Pakistan citing medical reasons. Pervez Musharraf, 76 was admitted to a hospital in Dubai, he is said to be suffering from Amyloidosis, a rare condition. He has not returned to Pakistan since.

Last week, a special court had ordered 76-year-old Pervez Musharraf to record statement by December 5 in the treason case. Musharraf had recorded a video message from his hospital bed in which he said, “I am ready to record a statement in the case. A judicial commission can come here and hear me out. It must see my health condition and make a decision. The commission, with my lawyer, must then be heard in the court.”

He says he is being victimized,

Musharraf says he’s being ‘victimised’ https://t.co/xRf05bvGin

— Pervez Musharraf (@P_Musharraf) December 4, 2019

Musharraf had added that due to his deteriorating health, multiple life-threatening ailments, he is unable to return to Pakistan.

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