Special court on Thursday has decided to announce the verdict of high treason case against former president and military official Pervez Musharraf on December 17.

During the hearing, the special court has clarified that the no extension will be given after this time. If anyone has any problem, he can consult the decision announced by the Supreme Court (SC) regarding the matter, the judge remarked.

Meanwhile, government prosecutor Ali Zia requested the court for time to read record comprising 3000 pages.

Earlier, Islamabad High Court (IHC) had approved the interior ministry’s petition and barred the special court from pronouncing the reserved verdict of high treason case against Musharraf.

In a written verdict by IHC Chief Justice Athar Manallah, it stated that there are unique, unusual and unprecedented circumstances in the case.

It read that the federal government and the prosecution have an important role to play in the treason case. The federal government has full authority to appoint the prosecutor and the prosecution team. The fair trial is also entitled to prosecution as well as the accused.

The IHC’s written statement stated that the federal government only filed the complaint of emergency 2007 rather than the 1999 treachery. “This action further increased the burden of fair trial on the judiciary”.

In addition, the written decree stated that Musharraf cannot be denied the right for defense despite being a fugitive.

Earlier, trial court had reserved verdict of high treason case against former president to announce on November 28. However, after IHC decision, it was postponed.

It is to be mentioned here that ex-president is facing treason trial under Article 6 of the Constitution as well as Section 2 of the High Treason Act for clamping the state of emergency on Nov 3, 2007.

He was booked in the treason case in December 2013 and was indicted by a special court in March 2014, but he left for Dubai in 2016 to “seek medical treatment” and has not returned since.