SC to hear Musharraf's plea against death sentence posthumously

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court in a written order on Saturday approved appeal of Pervez Musharraf against death sentence verdict, ARY News reported.

The court will conduct posthumous hearing of the appeal of Musharraf on November 21, according to the court order.

“Appeal is right of every convict, fixing the appeal for hearing after three years eight months is unfortunate,” court order read.

A special court handed Musharraf death sentence in the high treason case on December 17, 2019.

“A petitioner must not bear the brunt of the court’ failing to take a timely step,” the order read. “The appeal was not fixed despite the chamber orders over objections and the petitioner passed away”.

“None of the additional attorney general or senior lawyers present in the court objected over fixing the appeal for hearing,” according to court order.

“Pervez Musharraf’s appeal against the Registrar Office’s objections being approved. Pervaiz Musharraf’s lawyer Salman Safdar has been in contact with the widow and children, he has said, he will get instructions from the former president’s family members over the appeal,” court order said.

“The court will hear the appeal against death sentence to Musharraf on November 21”.

The former army chief was passed away in Dubai on Feb 05 this year and laid to rest in Karachi.

The 79-year-old former president and chief of army staff had been suffering from amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by a build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues throughout the body.

He left the country in March 2016 for Dubai to seek medical treatment and didn’t return to Pakistan.

On March 30, 2014, he was indicted for suspending the Constitution on November 3, 2007, when he had proclaimed emergency. On December 17, 2019, a special court handed him death sentence in the high treason case.