New York (Web Desk): The United Nations (UN) has opposed the death sentence handed down to former president General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf in the high treason case.
Addressing a news briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that he understood that the case is in an appeal process, but the UN has long been opposed to capital punishment.
A special court in Islamabad had found former military ruler General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf guilty of high treason and handed him a death sentence under Article 6 of the Constitution.
The detailed verdict in the high treason case against Musharraf was released on December 19, two days after the special court announced the verdict.
On December 17, the three-member special court headed by Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Waqar Seth and comprising Justice Nazar Akbar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) announced the verdict it had reserved on November 19.
Pervez Musharraf was charged with abrogating the Constitution twice, and a special court was constituted by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif to try the former military ruler was for high treason.
He was booked in the treason case in December 2013. The former president was indicted on March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September the same year.
However, due to litigation at appellate forums, the trial of the former military dictator lingered on and he left Pakistan in March 2016.