A four-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Ameenuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah gave the judgement today. Pervez Musharraf was sentenced to death by a special court under Article 6 of the Constitution on December 17 in the year 2019.

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Pervez Musharraf, who died on 5 February 2023, had made the ‘unconstitutional’ decision to declare an emergency in November 2007. Thus, during the tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the case was brought against him for high treason.

Earlier on November 10, Pakistan’s Supreme Court decided to hear an appeal by the deceased former military dictator against the special court majority judgment. Musharraf had filed the appeal in the year 2019 but died on February 5 of the year 2023.

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The Lahore High Court (LHC) declared the verdict given by the special court as “unconstitutional” on January 13 in the year 2020. The Pakistan Bar Council and several senior lawyers including Taufeeq Asif challenged Lahore High Court’s verdict.

However, today the court reserved the judgement on the appeal filed by the former ruler against the death sentence. The Court declared it ineffective for non-compliance.

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While rejecting the former President’s appeal, “The Supreme Court remarked, “Pervez Musharraf’s heirs did not follow the case even on multiple notices,” reported geo.tv.

During the previous hearing, the top court pointed out that all those, including the judges, who validated the martial law imposed by Musharraf on October 12, 1999, should be held accountable. 

The chief justice had mentioned in the previous hearing held on November 29 last year that “we should learn from our history” . He added that “even if someone was not punished for abrogating the Constitution, at least one should admit that what was done in the past was wrong,” reported geo.tv.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Published: 10 Jan 2024, 02:44 PM IST