AG terms special court's verdict 'illegal, unconstitutional and immoral'

ISLAMABAD: Attorney General of Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan has strongly condemned the detailed verdict of the special court that pronounced death sentence to former military ruler General Retired Pervez Musharraf in the high treason case, saying that the government will take action against the judges, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Anwar Mansoor Khan reacted over the detailed verdict of the special court came forth today, terming the judgement as ‘illegal, unconstitutional and immoral’. “We have to take action against the concerned judges under Article 209 and I strongly condemned the verdict of the special court,” he added.

“I will take steps for declaring the verdict null and void after returning from Istanbul. This matter will be sent to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of Pakistan for holding an inquiry against the judge,” the attorney general said while talking to ARY News.

Read: ‘I was not given fair trial in treason case’: Pervez Musharraf

He added that the verdict is seemingly given on basis of enmity. Khan said that a legal plea will be filed to nullify the verdict in accordance with the law. The verdict has damaged the reputation of the armed forces as it is an apparent attack against the institution.

“A person must not be continued to perform duties as a judge who is mentally ill. This position is not for a person who gives verdicts against the Constitution, law and Islam,” said the attorney general.

Earlier in the day, the Special Court issued a detailed judgement in the high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf. The certified copy of the verdict comprises 169 pages, was handed over to the counsel of Pervez Musharraf and officials of the interior ministry.

Read: Army expresses concern over special court’s verdict in Musharraf treason case

According to the detailed verdict, Justice Waqar Seth and Justice Shahid Kareem awarded death sentence to the former president, while another member of the bench Justice Nazir Akbar had wrote a dissenting note and announced to set Pervez Musharraf free of the charges.

“The prosecution team failed to prove charges against the former president”, Justice Nazir Akbar’s dissenting note reads. Musharraf was provided ample time to appear before the court and record his statement from beginning of the case in 2013 till 2019, but he failed to appeared.

“The judgement was pronounced in absentia of the accused after declaring him absconder”, the judgement reads. Justice Waqar in his remarks said to transport Musharraf’s body to Islamabad’ D-Chowk, if he expires before his punishment. Earlier, the registrar of the special court had said, the verdict would not be provided to the media, it would only be provided to the counsel of former president.