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Musharraf terms LHC verdict as legal, constitutional

Musharraf terms LHC verdict as legal, constitutional
January 13, 2020
DUBAI (92 News) – Former president Pervez Musharraf has termed the verdict of Lahore High Court (LHC) as legal and constitutional on Monday. In an audio statement, the former military ruler said he is pleased over the LHC’s verdict as the ruling was given in accordance with the law and the Constitution. Musharraf said that his health condition is gradually improving. However, he rejected to further deliver any comments over the filing of the treason case against him. Musharraf said that he will comment over the matter after getting the detailed verdict of the high court. Musharraf expressed gratefulness to the nationals to pray for his early health recovery. The LHC nullified the formation of the special court that tried the Musharraf high treason case. Earlier, the court had reserved the verdict on the plea challenging the formation of the special court. The petitioner stated that the due legal process was not adopted while appointing the prosecutor. He prayed to court to declare the proceeding and formation of the special court illegal. The petitioner stated that the due legal process was not adopted while appointing the prosecutor. He prayed to court to declare the proceeding and formation of the special court illegal. On December 17, the special court had handed down death penalty to former president Pervez Musharraf in the high treason case. A three-member bench of the special court headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and comprising of Justice Nazar Akbar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Justice Shahid Karim of the LHC announced the short verdict. However, one of the judge dissented from the sentence. According to the verdict, Pervez Musharraf had violated the constitution on November 3, 2007. It has been stated in the verdict that the violation of the constitution is proved against Pervez Musharraf and he is awarded death penalty under Article 6. The high treason case against the former president for clamping the state of emergency on Nov 3, 2007, has been pending since December 2013. He was booked in the treason case in December 2013. Musharraf was indicted on March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September the same year. However, due to litigation at appellate forums, the trial of the former military dictator lingered on and he left Pakistan in March 2016. The special court had announced that it would deliver its verdict in the case today. However, the government’s prosecutor, Advocate Ali Zia Bajwa, said that they had submitted three petitions today.