Army says Musharraf 'can surely never be a traitor'

Pakistan military on Tuesday put its weight behind its former chief General Pervez Musharraf (retd) and expressed 'anguish' over the Special Court's decision which awarded death sentence to him in the high treason case. "The decision given by the Special Court about General Pervez Musharraf (retd) has been received with lot of pain and anguish by rank and file of Pakistan Armed Forces," the military said in a press release issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) after an emergency meeting was held at General Headquarters (GHQ) in the chair of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

It further said, "An ex-Army Chief, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee and President of Pakistan, who has served the country for over 40 years, fought wars for the defence of the country can surely never be a traitor."

The military further stated that due legal process, including constitution of special court, denial of fundamental right to self-defence, undertaking individual specific proceedings and concluding the case in haste, seems to have been ignored. "Armed Forces of Pakistan expect that justice will be dispensed in line with Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan," it added.

Meanwhile, the decision was received with concerns and displeasure by the serving as well as retired military officials who said the decision will not send a good message to the armymen who are currently engaged at both eastern and western borders.

Air Marshal Shahid Latif (retd) took to the Twitter soon after the Special Court announced the decision, saying the judgment has been given without hearing the defendant.

"It is a sad day in the history of Pakistan where a judgment has been given without hearing the defendant. Also, General Musharraf has been singled out in this case shows the mala fide of Nawaz Sharif and (former CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhary. Justice must be seen to be done!" Latif said in a tweet.

According to Lt General Ghulam Mustafa (retd), it was a 'miscarriage' of justice in the history of Pakistan, adding that the way army is being attacked directly or indirectly, should be a source of concern and it is responsibility of the current military leadership to keep in mind what will those defending the country on the border be thinking of the situation.

"I am as sad today as I was in 1971 (the Dhaka Fall)," he said, adding, however, it is debatable whether Musharraf took a right or wrong move on 3rd November 2007.

Lt Gen Talat Masood (retd), a senior defence analyst said Musharraf has been awarded the sentence as per article 6 of the Constitution which is death sentence. He argued that the scenario under which the former army chief staged a coup and abrogated the Constitution is debatable.

He pointed out that the judiciary was easily influenced in the past but now it has been witnessed that the courts are becoming independent.