Musharraf treason case verdict to be declared on Dec 17

The verdict in the high treason case against former Pakistan dictator General (retd.) Pervez Musharraf would be pronounced on December 17, a special Pakistan court announced on Thursday.

The statement was made by a three-member bench of the special court, headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth, who conducted a hearing of the case against Musharraf on Thursday, Geo News reported.

Last week, the special court ordered Musharraf to record a statement by December 5 in the treason case after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) stopped the special court from issuing a verdict on November 28; after hearing the petitions filed by Dubai-based Musharraf and Pakistan Government.

The new prosecution team's lawyers informed the court that they needed more time to prepare for the case.

Justice Seth denied postponing the verdict and ordered to submit in writing that arguments would be completed by December 17.

Adjourning proceedings till December 17, Justice Seth said they would hear the arguments in the next proceeding and announce the verdict, Dawn News reported.

They (prosecutors) should keep aside other cases and fight this case, Justice Seth was quoted in the report.

He said that the judges are here from various parts of the country, only for the special court.

"This is a special case and this is a special court," Justice Seth remarked.

The special court had concluded the trial proceedings in the high treason case against Musharraf on November 19, for declaring a state of emergency on November 3, 2007. The court had ruled that a verdict would be announced on November 28 on the basis of available records.

The trial of the former military dictator for clamping the state of emergency filed during the previous Pakistan Muslim League has been pending since 2013.

He was booked in the treason case in December 2013. Musharraf was summoned on March 31, 2014, and the prosecution had tabled the entire evidence before the special court in September the same year.

But due to litigation at appellate forums, his trial lingered on and he left Pakistan in March 2016 with the permission of superior courts and the Interior Ministry for medical treatment.

According to previous Pakistani media reports, Musharraf was under medication and had Amyloidosis- a rare disease caused by the build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues in the body.