Islamabad – Speaking from his hospital bed in Dubai, Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf said a special court’s decision to sentence him to death in a high treason case was the result of a “personal vendetta”.
Musharraf, who was tried and sentenced in absentia, said in a video released late on Wednesday the allegations against him were politically motivated and it was “an unprecedented case in which neither the defendant, nor his lawyer were allowed to defend the case.”
An anti-terrorism court sentenced Musharraf to death on Tuesday after finding him guilty of high treason and subverting the constitution in 2007.
The verdict sent shudders through the military, which has ruled Pakistan for the a large portion of its history and remains highly influential. The army issued a strongly worded statement and accusing the court of ignoring legal process, defending Musharraf’s patriotism, and saying the ruling had caused “pain and anguish” in the ranks.
The 76-year-old Musharraf seized power in a coup in 1999 and later ruled as president.
