Pakistan’s Special Court has Ordered the Execution of Former President Pervez Musharraf: Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf has been sentenced to death for sedition. He had declared a state of emergency in the country by abolishing the constitution in 2007, which, according to the special court, involved treason. This is the first military ruler in the country’s history to receive such punishment. A three-member bench of the special court headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth said 76 years old former army chief was found guilty of sedition. He is executed.


Pakistan’s former leader Pervez Musharraf sentenced to death in absentia for treason by Pakistan court https://t.co/vJGj48pb0q — BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) December 17, 2019 Advertisement

Musharraf came to power in the military coup, ousting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He held the post of president from 2001 to 2008 years. He was allowed to go to Dubai for medical treatment in 2016. In a video statement from a Dubai hospital earlier this month, Musharraf said the case against him was absolutely baseless. He said, “I worked for the country for ten years. I fought for the country. This sedition case is baseless. I’ve been hanged.”

He has lived in Dubai for the last three years. However, he is now in London for treatment. Musharraf’s legal counsel can appeal the lower court’s ruling to the Supreme Court. However, if the Supreme Court upholds the judgment of the special court, the former president may request an apology from the president.

Musharraf rejected the Constitution in November 2007 and issued an emergency. His move triggered protests across the country. The military ruler was forced to resign the following year to avoid the prospect of impeachment. When Sharif returned to power in 2013, he began a sedition case against Musharraf. The following year a charge was made against the former military ruler on charges of sedition.

Although Musharraf argued, the case against him was politically motivated. And the steps he took in 2017 were in the hands of the government and the cabinet at that time. But the court did not find Musharraf’s argument. He was accused of taking illegal action. Five years later, the special court ruled.

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According to the constitution of Pakistan, anyone convicted of sedition may be sentenced to death. Musharraf is undergoing treatment thereafter being granted permission to travel to Dubai in 2016. Since then the special court has repeatedly ordered him to appear, but the former ruler has avoided it.

Another Pakistani court sentenced him to seven years in a corruption case. He was granted bail due to physical illness in that case. He returned three years ago to Dubai for treatment in March and never came back to Pakistan. A few months later, the special court declared him the perpetrator of the crime. The court ordered Musharraf to seize all his assets in Pakistan for repeated appeals. Similarly, his passport and all his identity cards were also canceled by the court order.