Islamabad

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday (January 10) upheld the death sentence for Pakistan's former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf. The verdict has come a year after his death. The supreme court maintained the death sentence handed to Musharraf by a special court in the country in a high treason case in 2019. Musharraf died on February 5, 2023 in Dubai after long illness. The 79-year-old was receiving treatment for amyloidosis in Dubai. He was living in Dubai in self-imposed exile since 2016 in order to avoid criminal charges in Pakistan.

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The hearing in the Supreme Court of Pakistan was held by four-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah.

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The high treason case against Musharraf was filed during the tenure of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) against his decision to impose an emergency in November 2007. A special court handed Musharraf a death sentence on December 17, 2019. Musharraf had filed an appeal against this decision. The Lahore High Court had deemed the decision by the special court 'unconstitutional' in 2020. But Pakistan Bar Council and some senior lawyers in the country challenged the decision of the Lahore High Court.

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The Supreme Court of Pakistan, while rejecting Musharraf's appeal, said, "Pervez Musharraf's heirs did not follow the case even on multiple notices," as per Geo TV.

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Musharraf toppled civilian government headed by then-PM Nawaz Sharif in 1999. After ruling the country as a military leader in the initial years, Musharraf appointed himself President of Pakistan in 2001. He remained a major player in Pakistani politics for years and during his dictatorship, he had a fairly effective grip on political developments and manoeuvres in Pakistan. Musharraf agreed to hold elections in 2002.

Musharraf was considered the architect of Kargil war against India months before the military coup.

(With inputs from agencies)