Editing Pervez Musharraf (section)

===Verdict===
On 17 December 2019, a special court declared him a traitor and sentenced him ''[[Trial in absentia|in absentia]]'' to death for abrogating and suspending the constitution in [[Pakistani state of emergency, 2007|November 2007]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/17/pakistan-sentences-musharraf-to-death-for-high-treason |title= Pervez Musharraf: Pakistan sentences former ruler to death for high treason |last= Ellis-Petersen |first= Hannah |date= 17 December 2019 |newspaper= The Guardian |access-date= 17 December 2019 |language= en-GB |issn= 0261-3077 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191217083837/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/17/pakistan-sentences-musharraf-to-death-for-high-treason |archive-date= 17 December 2019 |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/asia/pervez-musharraf-death-sentence-pakistan-intl-hnk/index.html |title=Former Pakistan military ruler sentenced to death for high treason |publisher=CNN |date=17 December 2019 |language=en-US |access-date=17 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217110805/https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/asia/pervez-musharraf-death-sentence-pakistan-intl-hnk/index.html |archive-date=17 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-law-musharraf-idUSKBN1YL0MJ |title= Pakistan court sentences former military ruler Musharraf to death for treason |last1= Shahzad |first1= Asif |date= 17 December 2019 |work= Reuters |access-date= 17 December 2019 |url-status= live |last2= Jain |first2= Rupam |editor-last= Birsel |editor-first= Robert |language= en-GB |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191217081602/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-law-musharraf-idUSKBN1YL0MJ |archive-date= 17 December 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50819772 |title=Pakistan ex-leader Musharraf sentenced to death |date=17 December 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019 |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217081204/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50819772 |archive-date=17 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/pakistan-ruler-musharraf-handed-death-penalty-treason-case-191217071817884.html |title=Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf handed death penalty in treason case |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=17 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217081559/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/pakistan-ruler-musharraf-handed-death-penalty-treason-case-191217071817884.html |archive-date=17 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The three-member panel of the special court which issued the order was spearheaded by Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court [[Waqar Ahmed Seth]].<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pervez-musharraf-death-penalty-pakistan-treason-news-1628954-2019-12-17 |title = Pervez Musharraf gets death penalty for imposing emergency in Pakistan |website = India Today |date = 17 December 2019 |access-date = 17 December 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191217095819/https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pervez-musharraf-death-penalty-pakistan-treason-news-1628954-2019-12-17 |archive-date = 17 December 2019 |url-status = live }}</ref> He was the first Pakistani Army General to be sentenced to death.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/conviction-pakistan-pervez-musharraf-191217151354480.html |title = After conviction, what next for Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf? |publisher = Al Jazeera |access-date = 17 December 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191217170330/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/12/conviction-pakistan-pervez-musharraf-191217151354480.html |archive-date = 17 December 2019 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/podcast/the-implications-of-pervez-musharrafs-death-sentence-for-civil-military-relations-in-pakistan-the-hindu-analysis-podcast/article30331387.ece |title=The implications of Pervez Musharraf's death sentence for civil-military relations in Pakistan|last=Sriram |first=Jayant |date=17 December 2019 |newspaper=The Hindu |access-date=17 December 2019 |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217170523/https://www.thehindu.com/podcast/the-implications-of-pervez-musharrafs-death-sentence-for-civil-military-relations-in-pakistan-the-hindu-analysis-podcast/article30331387.ece |archive-date=17 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Analysts did not expect Musharraf to face the sentence given his illness and the fact that Dubai has no [[extradition treaty]] with Pakistan;<ref name="MW1">{{cite news |title=Pakistan sentences Musharraf to death for treason |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/pakistan-sentences-musharraf-to-death-for-treason-2019-12-17 |access-date=17 December 2019 |work=MarketWatch |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217102318/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/pakistan-sentences-musharraf-to-death-for-treason-2019-12-17 |archive-date=17 December 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="hussain">{{cite news |last1=Hussain |first1=Shaiq |title=Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf is sentenced to death for treason |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistans-former-military-ruler-pervez-musharraf-is-sentenced-to-death-for-treason/2019/12/17/a7bb9334-20a5-11ea-b034-de7dc2b5199b_story.html |access-date=17 December 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=17 December 2019 |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217160215/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pakistans-former-military-ruler-pervez-musharraf-is-sentenced-to-death-for-treason/2019/12/17/a7bb9334-20a5-11ea-b034-de7dc2b5199b_story.html |archive-date=17 December 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> the verdict was also viewed as largely symbolic given that Musharraf retained support within the current Pakistani government and military.<ref name=NYTAnnul/>

Musharraf challenged the verdict,<ref name=NYTAnnul/><ref name="Dawn LHC Jan 2020" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/262503-musharraf-representiave |title= Musharraf lawyer in UK calls for retrial in high treason case |date=18 December 2019 |publisher=[[Geo TV]] |access-date=18 December 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218105012/https://www.geo.tv/latest/262503-musharraf-representiave |archive-date=18 December 2019}}</ref> and on 13 January 2020, the Lahore High Court annulled the death sentence against Musharraf, ruling that the special court that held the trial was unconstitutional.<ref name=NYTAnnul/> The unanimous verdict was delivered by a three-member bench of the Lahore High Court,<ref name=NYTAnnul/><ref name="Dawn LHC Jan 2020">{{cite news |last1=Bilal |first1=Rana |title=Special court formed for Musharraf treason trial 'unconstitutional', rules LHC |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1528058/special-court-formed-for-musharraf-treason-trial-unconstitutional-rules-lhc |access-date=13 January 2020 |work=Dawn|location=Pakistan |date=13 January 2020 |language=en |archive-date=13 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113111542/https://www.dawn.com/news/1528058/special-court-formed-for-musharraf-treason-trial-unconstitutional-rules-lhc |url-status=live }}</ref> consisting of Justice [[Sayyed Muhammad Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi]], Justice [[Muhammad Ameer Bhatti]], and Justice Chaudhry Masood Jahangir.<ref name="Dawn LHC Jan 2020"/> The court ruled that the prosecution of Musharraf was politically motivated and that the crimes of [[high treason]] and subverting the Constitution were "a joint offence" that "cannot be undertaken by a single person".<ref name=NYTAnnul/>