A three-member bench of Pakistan’s special court headed by Peshawar High Court Chief, Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth has handed a death sentence to the country’s former leader, Pervez Musharraf in the long-drawn high treason case against him for suspending the constitution and imposing emergency rule in the country.

The special court’s order came despite an earlier order from an Islamabad High Court (IHC) restraining it from issuing the verdict which ensured that Musharraf became the first military ruler to receive the capital punishment in the country’s history.

The special court comprising of Justice Seth, Justice Nazar Akbar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) announced the 2-1 split verdict it had reserved on November 19.


The 76-year-old former Army chief left for Dubai, the United Arab Emirates for medical treatment in March 2016 and has not returned , citing security and health reasons.

In an application filed through his advocates, Musharraf had on Saturday asked the LHC to stay the trial at the special court until his earlier petition pending adjudication at the high court was decided.

In that petition, the former leader challenged the formation of a special court for his trial under charges of high treason and cited legal flaws committed in the procedure.

Shortly before the special court’s verdict, the Lahore High Court recommended a full-bench hearing of Musharraf’s plea for stay of the trial.