'Hopeful that courts will continue to issue democratic verdicts,' says Bilawal.

ISLAMABAD -- PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday said that the special court's decision to hand former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf a death sentence in the high treason case against him was a "historic" one.

Earlier today, a three-member bench of a special court, in a landmark verdict, handed a death penalty to Musharraf in a long-drawn treason case. The former president has been convicted for abrogating the Constitution and imposing an emergency in the country in 2007.

During a conversation with reporters in Ghotki today, Bilawal said: "We are hopeful that now, after this democratic verdict, our courts will continue to issue democratic rulings.

"In the past, our institutions always stood with non-democratic forces. After this verdict, we can hope that our courts will side with justice and democracy for all days to come."

When a reporter asked if the politicians, who stood by Musharraf when he imposed martial law in the country, should receive punishment as well, the PPP chief said: "There is a lot of debate as...