ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Supreme Court Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Monday said former military ruler Pervez Musharraf would lose his right of defense in a treason case against him if he did not appear before a special court on May 2.
Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 military coup and stepped down nine years later amid mass protests, was indicted for high treason in March 2014. In 2016, he was allowed to leave Pakistan for health reasons that his lawyer argued prevented him from standing trial on treason and other charges. Musharraf denies the charges and has since skipped all court hearings in Pakistan.
Musharraf faces the death penalty if convicted of the treason charges over his suspension of the constitution and imposition of emergency rule in 2007, when he was trying to extend his tenure.
The case marked the first time a former military officer of Musharraf’s rank appeared in court before a judge in a country where the military has rarely been challenged by either the government or the judiciary.
Local media extensively reported Monday’s hearing at which the top court warned that if Musharraf did not appear before the special court on May 2, he would lose his right to record a statement under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedures and the court would announce a verdict based on the prosecution’s arguments.
“A fugitive has no rights,” Justice Khosa was quoted by local media as having said in the courtroom. “High treason is not an average crime.”
Musharraf’s lawyer Salman Safdar avoided giving a personal guarantee that the former general would return but said that he wanted to appear personally and record a statement.
Pakistan court orders Musharraf to appear on May 2 or lose right of defense
Pakistan court orders Musharraf to appear on May 2 or lose right of defense
- Chief justice says “fugitive has no rights,” will announce sentence in treason case based on prosecution arguments if ex-military ruler failed to appear
- Musharraf was indicted for high treason in March 2014 but left for Dubai in 2016 to “seek medical treatment,” he hasn’t returned since
Pakistan expands crypto engagement with appearance at Mar-a-Lago finance forum
- Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority Chairman Bilal bin Saqib attends World Liberty Financial event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate
- Discussions focused on future of global financial infrastructure, digital assets, stablecoins, capital markets innovation, says Saqib’s office
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman and Minister of State Bilal bin Saqib joined global finance leaders at an event hosted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture linked to US President Donald Trump’s family, Saqib’s office said on Thursday.
The event was hosted by World Liberty Financial, a crypto-based finance platform launched in September 2024 linked to Trump’s family. According to Saqib’s office, the gathering was held at Mar-a-Lago, the private estate and club owned by Trump in Florida.
Speakers and attendees at the event included David Solomon, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, Adena Friedman, chairperson and CEO of Nasdaq as well as Lynn Martin, president of the New York Stock Exchange, Saqib’s office said. The event was organized and hosted by Eric Trump and American businesspersons Zach Witkoff and Alex Witkoff.
“Discussions focused on the future of global financial infrastructure, digital assets, stablecoins, capital markets innovation and the evolving relationship between regulation and emerging financial technologies,” the statement said.
It said Saqib’s attendance at the event reflected Pakistan’s growing engagement with global discussions shaping the next phase of financial and technological transformation.
“As Pakistan moves toward modernizing its financial infrastructure and strengthening its position in the global digital economy, such high-level engagements signal increasing international recognition of the country’s regulatory direction and leadership,” the statement added.
Last month, Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding with a company affiliated with World Liberty Financial to explore the use of a dollar-linked stablecoin for cross-border payments.
Pakistan has stepped up efforts recently to regulate its digital asset sector and is exploring digital currency initiatives as part of broader measures to reduce cash usage.
