SC never fixed Musharraf's anti-conviction plea.

ISLAMABAD -- Despite the former military ruler's extreme desire, the Supreme Court did not fix Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf's plea against his conviction in a high treason case for the last three years.

After his demise, the appeal is expected to become infructuous.

The SC did not fix Musharraf's plea in an open court challenging the registrar's decision of not entertaining his appeal, in which he sought to overturn the Dec 17, 2019 death sentence awarded to him by the special court in a high treason case.

In 2020, the SC registrar's office had returned Musharraf's appeal on the grounds that unless the petitioner surrendered himself, his plea could not be entertained.

However, later his appeal was fixed in chamber before Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.

An application was filed against the SC registrar's decision.

Advocate Salman Safdar, Musharraf's counsel, appeared in the CJP's chamber to represent his client.

CJP Bandial decided to fix the appeal against the objections raised by the registrar's office before a larger bench.

Nonetheless, the SC registrar did not fix the appeal.

Neither ex-CJP Gulzar Ahmed, nor the incumbent one listed the case for hearing.

Interestingly, Musharraf filed the appeal in the SC even though a three-judge bench of the Lahore High Court had already declared 'unconstitutional' the filing of a high treason case against him, the formation of the special court and its proceedings -- leading to the abolition of the death penalty handed down to him.

Subsequently, the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) had challenged the LHC verdict

Its petition is yet to be fixed before a bench.

Musharraf's lawyer Salman Safdar told The Express Tribune that just before the former president's condition became critical, he was actively pursuing the high treason case.

'He was very anxious to return to his homeland and pursue the cases registered against him,' he added.

The counsel said that because of multiple serious ailments, Musharraf was no longer in a position to give any instructions to him.

"My active communication with him ended almost a year ago and since then, his family members - Bilal Musharraf and Begum Sehba Musharraf - were following cases on his behalf,' he explained.

Salman said Musharraf wanted to remove the stigma of a conviction.

He also said Musharraf's appeal in SC was pending with an objection that he was not present in the country, which was a mandatory requirement.

"The plea against the objections was heard by...

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