Pakistan's SC orders release of man who tried to assassinate Musharraf

Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday (November 21, 2022) ordered the release of a man who attempted to assassinate then-military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in 2003 after the convict served 20 years in prison – six years more than the original 14-year sentence. Rana Tanveer was sentenced to life in prison by a military court in 2005 in connection with the 2003 Rawalpindi pump attack case, according to Geo News. Tanveer was arrested on December 31, 2003, in connection with an assassination attempt on Musharraf, who narrowly escaped two bomb and gun attacks on his convoy in Rawalpindi.

According to Geo TV, a three-member bench led by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood ordered Tanveer's release while hearing the case of the convict's non-release despite the completion of his sentence. Tanveer's lawyer, Hashmat Habib, stated during the hearing that his client would not be released even after serving his sentence. "The term of life imprisonment is 14 years and my client has been in prison for almost 20 years," said Habib.

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The Supreme Court also dismissed the federal and Punjab governments' appeals against Tanveer's release and directed the jail authorities to release him. Habib expressed hope that Tanveer would be released as a result of the Supreme Court's decision on Monday. Musharraf seized power in a bloodless military coup in 1999, deposing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government. He resigned in 2008 and has been in Dubai in exile since 2016 when he left Pakistan for medical treatment.