The Supreme Court Registrar has rejected General (R) Pervez Musharraf’s appeal against the Special Court ruling that convicted him of high treason and awarded him death sentence last month.
According to sources, the apex court’s registrar office returned on Friday the appeal after raising an objection under Order XXIII Rule 8 of SC Rules 1980 that says a petition shall not be taken up unless a convict has surrendered to the authorities.
Confirming the development, the former military’s ruler’s counsel said that it was not unusual, and an appeal against the order of the registrar office will be filed within 30 days. “I have already prepared my arguments in this regard,” Salman Safdar said.
In his appeal, Musharraf’s counsel alleged that the treason trial “suffered from interference and external pressures”. The plea further argued that Musharraf did not receive a fair trial, and that Islamabad High Court’s guidelines to ensure a fair trial, were disregarded.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Bar Council also deliberated upon the LHC decision that declared the proceedings in the high treason case unconstitutional.