Former Pakistani President Musharraf Sentenced to Death … in Absentia, Permanently -The iPINIONS Journal

Trust me, this death sentence is not nearly as grave or unforeseen as it seems. But first things first:

A Pakistani special court sentenced former military dictator and president Pervez Musharraf to death in absentia, ending a six-year long high treason case against him and delivering a historic verdict against the country’s powerful army. …

Musharraf, who has been in Dubai since 2016 seeking medical treatment and never attended the legal proceedings, has the right to appeal in the Supreme Court. …

It is the first time in Pakistan’s 72-year history that a military ruler has been tried with high treason — in this case for imposing emergency rule and suspending the constitution in 2007.

(Bloomberg, December 17, 2019)

I have written many commentaries on the trials and tribulations of Pervez Musharraf. Most notably, they include

“Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf: a Friend Indeed Who’s a Friend in Need,” February 7, 2006;
“Crocodile Tears in West as Musharraf Sacks Judges and Imposes Martial Law,” November 5, 2007;
“The Assassination of Benazir Bhutto: a Rendezvous with Destiny,” December 18, 2007;
“President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan Forced to Resign,” August 18, 2008;
“Arrest Warrant for Pakistani President Musharraf,” February 15, 2011;
“Musharraf, former Pakistani President and Army Chief, Charged with Bhutto Assassination,” August 21, 2013; and
“Pakistan Declares Musharraf a Fugitive,” October 4, 2017.

With respect to this latest development, the last of these commentaries includes the following, which explains my opening line:

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I do not think Musharraf was complicit in Bhutto’s assassination. I explained why in my August 2013 commentary.

But he was wise to flee. In fact, baying backlash against his increasingly authoritarian rule was such that I advised him to do just that in my August 2007 commentary. And this was long before his political enemies began fingering him for Bhutto’s assassination.

It behooves Musharraf to follow the trail other weakened strongmen have blazed into exile. And, frankly, given the numerous assassination attempts on his life, it would be understandable if Musharraf decided that he’d be better off enjoying time in London or Dubai, spending the millions he skimmed from US military aid, than wasting time in Pakistan chasing Islamic terrorists.

(“Day of Reckoning for America’s Most-Favored Dictator…,” The iPINIONS Journal, August 24, 2007)

To be fair, it’s understandable that he caught so many people off guard. After all, the Napoleonic Musharraf fleeing was every bit as inconceivable as Saddam Hussein of Iraq or Muammar Gaddafi of Libya doing so.

Not to mention that Musharraf continually vowed to return to face the charges, despite decrying them as ‘fabricated.’ But I suspect he was ultimately guided by the kangaroo trial that led to the hanging of Bhutto’s own father, ex-prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Indeed, Musharraf can be forgiven for noting – from his imperial lair in Dubai – that both Saddam and Muammar are dead. Never mind the more instructive fate that befell not just Bhutto but her daddy too.

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In other words, Hell will freeze over before Musharraf leaves Dubai to be hanged in Pakistan. Significantly, unlike the United States, the United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates do not have bilateral extradition treaties with Pakistan. And Dubai authorities are unlikely to arrest Musharraf pursuant to an Interpol “red warrant.” Just in case, though, he’s playing the too-sick-to-travel card for all it’s worth.

Nonetheless, one can hardly blame these (avenging) judges for handing down this symbolic sentence. They are probably still fuming over the unceremonious way he sacked so many of them to impose authoritarian rule.

That said, it’s noteworthy that the court cited his imposition of martial law and suspension of the constitution; that is, instead of this:

Musharraf has himself been charged with murder, criminal conspiracy for murder and facilitation for murder in relation to the Bhutto case. Prosecutors say that he phoned Benazir Bhutto in Washington on 25 September, three weeks before she ended eight years in self-imposed exile.

According to [Bhutto aide] Seighal, immediately after the call Bhutto said: ‘He threatened me … warned me not to come back.’

(BBC, December 27, 2017)

It’s also noteworthy that his old comrades in the Pakistan Armed Services received news of his death sentence with “a lot of pain and anguish.” Because they betrayed no hint of making any moves to squash it, let alone guarantee Musharraf’s safety if he returned. But this deference to civilian authority bodes well for Pakistan’s beleaguered democracy – now under the leadership of former cricket superstar Imran Khan.

To be fair, Khan and the Armed Services have their hands full. Foremost, they’re dealing with the Indian government’s de facto intent to religiously cleanse the country of all Muslims:

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said millions of Muslims living in India would be forced to leave as a result of India’s new citizenship law, and the ongoing curfew in Indian-administered Kashmir – creating what he termed ‘a refugee crisis that would dwarf other crises.’ …

‘We are worried that this could lead to a conflict, a conflict between two nuclear-armed countries,’ said Khan.

(Aljazeera, December 17, 2019)

In any event, the next official notice in Pakistan of anything related to Musharraf will probably be for notice of his death … in exile.