KARACHI: Pakistan’s mainstream political parties and legal experts hailed the special court’s decision to convict former President Gen. Pervez Musharraf of high treason on Tuesday as “historic,” and said the ruling would prevent military takeovers in future.
A three-member bench of the special court in Islamabad sentenced the retired general to death in a landmark decision for a country, which since independence in 1947 for half of its existence had been ruled by the all-powerful military.
The court said a detailed judgment would be released in 48 hours.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which started the high treason case against Musharraf, called Tuesday’s judgment “highly encouraging.”
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے ترجمان مریم اورنگزیب کا پرویز مشرف کو سزائے موت دینے کے عدالتی فیصلے پر ردعمل
عدالتی فیصلے نے پاکستان میں ایک نئی تاریخ رقم کی ہے
آئندہ ملک میں آئین شکنی، پارلیمان اور عوام کے حق حکمرانی کو روندنے کا راستہ بند ہوگیا— PML(N) (@pmln_org) December 17, 2019
“This is a highly encouraging judgment, which has finally proved that no one is above the law,” PML-N central leader Senator Mushahidullah Khan said, adding that the decision will strengthen the judiciary and prevent future violations of the Constitution.
Siraj-ul-Haq, the chief of country’s right-wing religious-politico party Jamat-e-Islami, took to Twitter saying, “A historic decision pronounced for the first time in 72 years to strengthen democracy and uphold rule of law.”
72 سال میں پہلی بار جمہوریت کی بقا اور آئین کی بالادستی کے لیے تاریخی فیصلہ سامنے آیا ہے۔ آئین توڑنے کے مجرم کو سزائےموت سنانے سے جمہوریت آئندہ کے لیے محفوظ ہوگئی ہے۔ اب حکومت کی ذمہ داری ہے کہ پرویز مشرف کو وطن واپس لائے۔ باہر بھیجنے والوں کو بھی قوم کو جواب دینا چاہیے۔
— Siraj ul Haq (@SirajOfficial) December 17, 2019
“It is the government’s responsibility to bring Pervez Musharraf back to the country now. Those who sent him abroad should also be held accountable before the nation,” he tweeted.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted cheered the decision with his party slogan “democracy is the best revenge.”
“جمہوریت بہترین اِنتقام ہے!
مشرف کیس کا فیصلہ پاکستان میں ایک تاریخی فیصلہ ہے جو کہ آمر اور غیر جمہوری قوتوں کیلئے واضح پیغام ہے کہ وہ آئندہ کسی بھی قسم کے غیر جمہوری ہتھکنڈے استعمال کرنے سے پہلی کئی بار سوچیں۔”@BBhuttoZardari
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/5D5W1o0z55— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) December 17, 2019
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) said in a statement that in the light of the Constitution, those supporting a person who violates it also deserve punishment, which in Musharraf’s case has not happened.
A leader of Musharraf’s own All Pakistan Muslim League, Mehrene Malik Adam, called the verdict “appalling.”
“We are appalled at today’s verdict against former President Pervez Musharraf, which was announced without hearing him, despite a repeated request by the former president not to announce the decision in his absence and to give him the right to defend himself before the special court,” Adam said, adding that her party sees the trial as “pursued in the most unconstitutional way.”
Musharraf’s lawyer Salman Safdar said the judgment was “announced in haste,” and the conviction of his client in absentia “doesn’t have any legal foundation to stand on,” he told Arab News, calling the sentence “unconstitutional and illegal” and the case “politically motivated.”
“The sentence will be overturned in appeal,” he said.
The government, which had earlier submitted an application against the announcement of the special court’s decision, did not appear entirely happy about the ruling.
“The time demands that the country should be united. In whose benefit are such decisions that divide the nation and its institutions,” Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet.
Defense analyst Air Marshal (retired) Shahid Latif posted on the micro-blogging site, “Sad day in the history of Pakistan, where a judgment has been given without hearing the defendant. Also, General Musharraf has been singled out in this case shows the Mala fide of Nawaz Sharif and Iftikhar Chaudhary. Justice must be seen to be done! #Musharraf“
Sad day in the history of Pakistan, where a judgment has been given without hearing the defendant. Also, General Musharraf has been singled out in this case shows the Mala fide of Nawaz Sharif and Iftikhar Chaudhary. Justice must be seen to be done! #Musharraf
— Air Marshal Shahid Latif - (Retd) (@AMShahidLatif) December 17, 2019
Hamid Khan, a senior Pakistani lawyer who has also served as the senior vice president of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), defended the judiciary.
“This is a landmark judgment, which will make the military generals think several times about the consequences before thinking of a coup,” he told Arab News, adding that Article 6 of the Constitution has finally been implemented.
Musharraf seized power in October 1999 by toppling the civilian government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup. He remained in power until 2008.
According to Article 6, any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or holds in abeyance (or attempts to do so) the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by any other unconstitutional means, shall be guilty of high treason. Any person aiding or abetting these acts shall likewise be guilty of high treason. In light of Article 6, high treason shall not be validated by any court, including the Supreme Court.
