On Tuesday, 17th December 2019 Pakistan’s former military leader, Gen. Pervez Musharraf was sentenced to death at a special court sitting in Islamabad, Pakistan.
According to the three-member court panel who sentenced Musharraf on charges bordering on high treason that has been pending since 2013.
Recall that Gen. Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999 and served as the country’s president from 2001 to 2008.
He is currently in Dubai after being allowed to leave the country for medical treatment in 2016.
The charge relates to Gen. Musharraf’s suspension of the constitution in 2007 when he imposed emergency rule in a move intended to extend his tenure.
Also, Gen. Musharraf is the first military ruler to ever stand trial in Pakistan for overruling the constitution.
The verdict was announced Tuesday with a 2-1 majority.
In November 2007, Gen. Musharraf suspended the constitution and imposed emergency rule – a move that sparked protests. He resigned in 2008 to avoid the threat of impeachment.
After Musharraf handed over power to Nawaz Sharif, an old rival whom he deposed in a coup in 1999, Sharif initiated a trial of treason against Gen. Musharraf and in March 2014 the former general was charged for high treason.
He argued the case was politically motivated and that the actions he took in 2007 were agreed by the Government and cabinet.
It was gathered that the Pakistani constitution stressed that anyone convicted of high treason could face the death penalty.
Gen. Musharraf has been on exile in Dubai since 2016 and he has refused to appear before the court, despite multiple orders for his extradition.
