Special Court verdict against Pervez Musharraf challenged in SC

ISLAMABAD: Former president Pervez Musharraf has challenged the verdict of a special court against him in the Supreme Court on Thursday, ARY News reported.

Musharraf’s counsel Salman Safdar has filed the appeal against the decision to hand the death penalty to the former president in the apex court, pleading the verdict to be declared as null and void.

The petition said that the trial was unconstitutional and Article 6 of the constitution was violated in the proceedings of the trial.

The petition also said that Musharraf was denied the right to fair trial adding that formation of the special court was unconstitutional.

A special court, which was recently declared as unconstitutional by the Lahore High Court, in its verdict in a treason case against Musharraf, had sentenced him to death for abrogating the Constitution and proclamation of emergency in the country in November 2007.

The high treason case proceedings were initiated without approval from the federal cabinet, according to the appeal.

The special court failed to provide an opportunity to Pervez Musharraf for recording his statement. “The special court’s December 17 verdict is unsatisfactory,” the petition in the Supreme Court said.

The appeal against the court verdict has been comprised of 65 pages.

Advocate Salman Safdar had announced to challenge the court verdict in a press conference after the special court announced its decision.