Death Penalty to Pervez Musharraf: Here’s How the Case Dragged on for Six Years | Timeline

In February 2017, the former president launched a career as a TV analyst.

New Delhi: On charges of high treason, a special court in Pakistan has awarded the death sentence to former Pakistan Army Chief and President Pervez Musharraf.

Here’s a brief timeline of the case in Pakistan’s Supreme Court:

April 2013: SC agrees to hear a petition seeking to prosecute Musharraf. Musharraf surrenders in a magistrate’s court in the judges’ detention case. His farmhouse residence at Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, is declared a sub-jail. Peshawar High Court bars Musharraf from ever contesting elections.

November 2013: The PML-N government submits five charges of high treason against Musharraf in a special court. A three-member bench to hear the case is also formed.

December 2013: Special court summons Musharraf to face treason charges.

February 2014: After avoiding 22 consecutive hearings, Musharraf finally appears in court, but no charges are framed against him. A month later, he is indicted for treason and pleads not guilty.

December 2015: Musharraf says he invoked emergency after consulting Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani among other civilian and military leaders.

March 2016: The former president seeks one-time permission to go abroad on medical grounds. He leaves for Dubai to seek medical treatment, promising to come back.

May 2016: Special court declares Musharraf an absconder in the high treason case against him.

February 2017: Former president launches a career as a TV analyst.

June 2018: SC allows Musharraf to run for polls on the condition that he appear in person before the court.

March 2019: SC orders Musharraf to appear before the special court in the treason case on May 2 or lose his right of defence.

October 2019: Special court decides to hear the treason trial on a daily basis from October 24.

November 2019: The special court concludes its proceedings in the high treason case against the former military ruler, saying that a verdict will be pronounced on November 28. Musharraf petitions the Lahore High Court to challenge the reservation of the judgment in the treason case.

December 2019: Special court says it will announce the verdict in the case on Dec 17. Special court hands Musharraf death sentence in the long-drawn high treason case against him.