Former Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf on Friday, approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging an earlier decision given by a special court in Islamabad, sentencing him to death for violation of Article 6 of the Pakistan constitution, constituting the crime of ‘High Treason’.
The matter will be heard by a full bench headed by Justice Ali Akbar Naqvi on January 9, 2020.
Earlier on December 17, a special court in Islamabad had sentenced Musharraf to death for imposing a state of emergency and suspending the constitution on November 3, 2007.
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The petition before the High Court has challenged the previous judgement on the grounds of denial of justice.
Two specific concerns have been raised-
First, the accused was not given sufficient time to testify and the trial was conducted in his absence.
Second, the judgement referring to the part which wanted the government to hang and display the body of the former President at D- Chowk for three days, dead or alive was raised in the petition. It called the comment extra-judicial and against all religious, social and judicial tenets.
DG (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor after the judgement had tweeted that all ranks and files were anguished by the judgement. He had also said that General Musharraf had fought wars and served the nation and could never be a traitor.
The government has extended support to the armed forces on this issue.
General Musharraf had released a video message from the hospital bed in Dubai, saying that he had full trust in the Pakistani judiciary.