Pervez Musharraf Sentenced to Death in High Treason Case

The special court sentenced former military dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf to death in the high treason case against him, under Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The special court had reserved the verdict on November 19. A three-member bench of the special court announced the verdict, a split 2-1. A detailed verdict will be issued in 48 hours.

A three-member special court comprising of Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Waqar Seth, Justice Nazar Akbar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC)  heard the case.

The bench was formed on the orders of the Supreme Court.

In its short order, the court said it had analyzed complaints, records, arguments and facts in the case for three months.

The court further added it had found Musharraf guilty of high treason according to Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan for imposing the state of emergency on November 03, 2007.

Article 6 of the Constitution says that “Any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or hold in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or subvert or suspend or hold in abeyance the Constitution by use of force or show force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.”

According to the High Treason (Punishment) Act, 1973, the punishment for high treason is death or life time imprisonment.

The former military chief and president is currently in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, admitted to a hospital. He was booked in the treason case in December 2013, during the PML-N government tenure.