World

Death penalty for ex-Pakistan president thrown out

January 14, 2020 5:20 am

Pervez Musharraf [Source: BBC]

A court in Pakistan has overturned the death sentence handed down to former president Pervez Musharraf by declaring the legal process unconstitutional.

Gen Musharraf had challenged the formation of special court which found him guilty of treason last December.

The Lahore High Court sided with the exiled general yesterday, who seized power in a 1999 coup and was president from 2001 to 2008.

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A prosecutor says the decision means Gen Musharraf is “a free man”.

He added there is “no judgment against him any longer”.

According to BBC Urdu, the long-running case – which relates to Gen Musharraf’s suspension of the constitution in 2007, when he declared an emergency in a move intended to extend his tenure – could still be retried in another court.