Pervez Musharraf hails LHC decision, says health is improving

LAHORE: Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on Monday hailed the decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) declaring the formation of the special court, which had sentenced him to death for high treason, ‘unconstitutional’ .

In its ruling on Monday, the Lahore High Court saidthe amended Article 6 of the Constitution, under which Musharraf had been found guilty, could not be applied in the case ‘ex post facto’ (retrospectively).

Former president Musharraf, in an audio statement, lauded the verdict of the high court, saying that the court made the decision according to the law and Constitution.

On the decision, he said: “I cannot comment on it but the decision is really good, I am very happy that the judgement is as per the law and Constitution,” he said.

He said his condition is gradually improving. “I am grateful to all those who prayed for my health,” he added.

In its verdict, the LHC also said that the Article 6 of the Constitution was modified through the 18th Amendment in 2010, while the case against Musharraf concerned events that happened before that.

The decision came in response to a petition filed by Musharraf challenging the formation of the special court for the high treason case against him. Musharraf had been handed the death penalty in December last year after being found guilty on five counts in a 2-1 majority verdict.

In December, the former president was shifted to Dubai’s hospital after his condition deteriorated. In a video message, shortly after his death sentence by the Special Court, Musharraf said that he has been unwell since a while.

"Even my lawyer Salman Safdar is not being heard by the court," he had said. "I have fought wars for Pakistan and served my country for 10 years."