Govt will review special court's judgment, says Awan

Says government’s legal team will analyse all aspects first before deciding on a future course of action

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday said the government will "review in detail" the special court's judgment to sentence former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to death.

Responding to a question about whether the government will bring Musharraf back to Pakistan, the special assistant said the decision will be made after consulting the legal team.
“We will review in detail, today's verdict as well as yesterday's.”



The special assistant said the government’s legal team will analyse all aspects first before deciding on a future course of action.

She further stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan will return from his trip on Wednesday and the final decision will be made after he takes a look at the “relevant ground realities and legal framework”.

Federal Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati said the federal government will do anything which would benefit the state institutions.

“We cannot challenge the court’s decision,” said Swati when asked about government’s petition of staying the verdict.

Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak said that it is the special court’s decision; the decision of Supreme Court is subject to implementation.

The case

Musharraf has been on trial for high treason for imposing a state of emergency in 2007, and a special court was constituted by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif to try Musharraf for violating the Constitution.



The verdict was split 2-1 and the detailed judgement will be issued with in the next two days. The former military ruler is currently residing and under treatment in Dubai.

“Pervez Musharraf has been found guilty of Article 6 for violation of the constitution of Pakistan,” government law officer Salman Nadeem said.

Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo welcomed the decision. “Pakistan needed this verdict. Today's decision proves that there is rule of law in the country," he said.

The government [prosecution in this case] had petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in November to set aside the November 19 order of a special court trying the former military ruler for “subverting the Constitution” in 2007.

The government requested IHC through the interior ministry to set aside the November 19 order of the special court and suspend its proceedings until the formation of a new prosecution team.