Fugitive from justice: SC throws out Mush appeal against Special Court verdict

By INP
January 19, 2020

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Saturday declined to admit an appeal filed by former president General (R) Pervez Musharraf challenging the Special Court verdict in the high treason case against him.

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Rejecting the appeal, the apex court said since the former military ruler had not yet surrendered himself to the authorities, he could not move an appeal until his surrender.

According to the SC registrar office, the top court has laid down a principle under which it can’t accept any petition unless an absconding convict surrenders himself to the authorities. Earlier on Jan 16, Musharraf’s counsel Salman Safdar filed an appeal against the Special Court verdict, which handed down death penalty to Musharraf, pleading that the verdict be declared null and void.

The petition said the trial was unconstitutional and Article 6 of the Constitution was violated in the trial proceedings. The petition also said Musharraf was denied the right to a fair trial adding that the Special Court formation was unconstitutional. The appeal against the court verdict comprised 65 pages.

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