Lahore High Court returns Musharraf's application against conviction

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has returned a civil miscellaneous application by former President Pervez Musharraf against his conviction in the high treason case by a special court, citing unavailability of the full bench during the winter vacations.

A legal panel comprising Khawaja Ahmad Tariq Rahim and Azhar Siddique had filed the application on Friday challenging all actions starting from complaint of high treason to establishment of the special trial court and its proceedings, Dawn news reporred.

A three-judge full bench recently constituted by LHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan is scheduled to take up the main petition on January 9, 2020.

Advocate Siddique told Dawn news that the LHC registrar's office returned the application on Friday as the full bench was not available during the winter vacations.

He said the application would be filed again in the first week of January.

The special court had announced its verdict on December 17 and handed down death penalty to Musharraf with a 2-1 majority.

In the 85-page civil miscellaneous application, Musharraf asked the LHC to set aside the special court's verdict for being illegal, without jurisdiction, unconstitutional and in violation of the Constitution.

It stated that Musharraf was not given a chance to present his arguments.