Musharraf files petition in LHC challenging special court's verdict in High treason case.

LAHORE -- Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on Friday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) challenging a special court's verdict sentencing him to death in a high treason case.

The petition was filed by Azhar Siddique on behalf of Musharraf in the High Court. The special court on December 17 had sentenced the former military ruler to death for imposing a state of emergency on November 3, 2007.

The petition stated that Musharraf was not given a chance to present his arguments and that the 'special court quite abruptly and hurriedly wrapped up a trial that was far from its conclusion.'

'The hastily announced judgment is emanating from a prosecution case which suffers, for all intents and purposes from an admitted, noticeable and unexplained delay of over five years from the date of the alleged offence and initiation of proceeding,' the petition stated.

'The then government, by failing to follow the mandated procedure laid down in Section 5 (1) of the Special Courts Act, 1976, lodged the complaint against the applicant in an unlawful manner. Therefore, the complaint against the applicant is void ab initio. The law clearly prescribes that the special court shall only commence proceedings once a complaint of high treason is completely filed by the 'federal government'.'

The petition also challenged paragraph 66 of the special court's verdict, which read, "We direct the law enforcement agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, Pakistan, and be hanged for three days'.

"The honourable respective president of the special court has crossed all religious moral...

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