If found dead, convict’s corpse be dragged to D-Chowk and 'hanged' for 3 days: Pakistan court verdict on Pervez Musharraf

KARACHI: The Special Court which convicted former president Parvez Musharraf on Tuesday sentencing him to death in a high treason case, announced a detailed verdict against Musharraf on Thursday.

According to the detailed verdict, the court had directed the law enforcement agencies that if found dead, the convict's corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, and be hanged for three days.

A three-member bench of the special court, headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth announced its verdict on Thursday. Of the three judges, Justice Seth and Justice Karim gave the death sentence while Justice Nazarullah Akbar wrote a dissenting note saying that the prosecution team could not prove treason case.

“As a necessary corollary to what has been observed, we find the accused guilty as per charge. The convict be therefore hanged by his neck till he dies on each count as per charge."

“We direct the Law Enforcement Agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, Pakistan and be hanged for 03 days," read the detailed verdict.

The judgment, that comprised of 169 pages, stated that the prosecution failed to defend the case effectively and provide sufficient evidence against the former army chief. The court, in its verdict, announced that the death penalty is being awarded to Musharraf on different counts.

The high treason trial of the former military dictator for clamping the state of emergency on Nov 3, 2007, had been pending since December 2013 when he was booked in the case. He was indicted on March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September 2014. However, due to litigation at appellate forums, the trial of the former president lingered on and he left Pakistan in March 2016 "to seek medical treatment." The retired general was declared an absconder as he failed to appear before the court despite repeated summons and the court directive issued to the Pakistan Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to arrest him. 

The former president is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he is currently undergoing treatment due to serious health issues. 

Earlier in December, speaking from the hospital, Musharraf had asserted the high treason case against him is "baseless", adding that his lawyer was not being heard by the court in the matter. The former Pakistani leader also said that he fought wars for Pakistan and served the country for a decade. "This case is baseless for me. I have fought wars for Pakistan and served my country for 10 years. Even my lawyer Salman Safdar is not being heard by the court," he said.