Musharraf verdict

Published December 26, 2019

I AM not exactly a Pervez Musharraf fan for the simple reason that, as against his promise to rid the country of corruption, he re-imposed the corrupt political dynasties on the country, duly cleansed through the National Reconciliation Ordinance.

However, I was shocked, amazed and dismayed at the sentence that was announced for him, and which reads as under: “Be hanged by his neck till he dies on each count as per charge,” and if by chance he dies before the date of the death penalty, “his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad, Pakistan, and be hanged for three days.”

This way of dealing with Musharraf’s corpse was prescribed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, who headed the bench. It is quite unsettling to learn that in this day and age, we have, among the high-ups in judiciary, people who feel no remorse in prescribing sentences prevalent in the dark ages long since discontinued.

Also, since the judges claim, and are supposed to act in accordance with the law, does our constitution or Pakistan Penal Code provide for such sentences?

S. Riaz

Karachi

(2)

THE bombshell judgement against Pervez Musharraf smacks of vendetta. Is it to settle scores for his mistreatment of Iftikhar Chaudhry? Besides, a Muslim judge, ordering desecration of a Muslim’s corpse, is preposterous.

S.G. Jilanee

Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

Hollow applause
Updated 23 Feb, 2026

Hollow applause

The current account turnaround, though largely driven by import compression, rising remittances and bilateral debt rollovers, has eased external pressures.
Delayed appointment
23 Feb, 2026

Delayed appointment

THE recent appointment of a chief election commissioner for Azad Jammu & Kashmir has once again shone a ...
Fragile equilibrium
23 Feb, 2026

Fragile equilibrium

PAKISTAN is not short of food. It is short of resilience. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification...
March to war?
Updated 22 Feb, 2026

March to war?

With his huge build-up of forces around Iran, and frequent threats targeted at the Islamic Republic, the US president has created a very difficult situation for himself.
Paper proscriptions
22 Feb, 2026

Paper proscriptions

THE Punjab government’s decision to publicly list 89 banned and unregistered groups, and to warn citizens against...
Cricket politics again
Updated 22 Feb, 2026

Cricket politics again

Pakistan refused to play India at the ongoing T20 World Cup and only changed its mind in view of the game’s greater good. It is time for India to reciprocate.