Musharraf can ‘never be a traitor’: Pakistan Army in ‘pain and anguish’ after treason case verdict

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army said on Tuesday that it was in a lot of pain and anguish after the special court announced its verdict in the high treason case against former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, sentencing him to death.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Major General Asif Ghafoor issued an official statement today, describing how the decision was being received by the personnel of Pakistan armed forces.

The statement read: “An ex-Army Chief, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and President of Pakistan, who has served the country for over 40 years, fought wars for the defense of the country can surely never be a traitor.”

The statement further said that the due legal process in the case has been ignored ‘including constitution of special court, denial of fundamental right of self defence, undertaking individual specific proceedings and concluding the case in haste’.

The ISPR statement on the verdict said that the armed forces expect that justice will be dispensed in line with the Constitution of Pakistan.

Earlier today, the special court formed to hear the high treason case, sentenced the former dictator to death for imposing a state of emergency on November 3, 2007.

The PML-N initiated the high treason case against Musharraf over imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

The former army chief was indicted in March 2014 after he appeared before the court. He rejected all charges against him.

On March 18, 2016, the former president left Pakistan for Dubai to seek medical treatment after his name was removed from the no fly list on the orders of the Supreme Court. In later proceedings, the former military ruler was declared an absconder in the case over non-appearance before the court.