ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court next week will take up posthumously an appeal filed by former president General Pervez Musharraf against the rejection of his nomination papers by the Appellate Election Tribunal for general elections in 2013.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, will take up on July 20, the appeal of former military dictator challenging the verdict of Peshawar High Court (PHC).

On January 20, 2022, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Bandial and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, had dismissed Musharraf’s appeal, challenging the verdict of Sindh High Court (SHC) against the rejection of his nomination papers in the 2013 general elections after it became ineffective.

Musharraf had challenged the SHC’s verdict declaring him disqualified to contest as a candidate of the National Assembly and had pleaded the apex court to annul the judgment against his disqualification.

During the course of proceedings, Musharraf’s counsel had submitted that his client’s second appeal against the PHC verdict was not yet fixed for hearing.

At this, Justice Bandial had directed that another appeal of the former president against the PHC decision should be fixed before a larger bench for hearing and had adjourned the hearing for date-in-office (indefinite period).

The bench had observed that the assembly elected in 2013 completed its tenure in 2018.

The counsel had contended that the former president had been out of the country and could not be contacted.

He had pleaded the court to fix both appeals for hearing simultaneously.

Justice Bandial, however, dismissed the appeal against the SHC verdict but held that the appeal against the PHC verdict would be decided later on.

Earlier this year, on February 5, Musharraf passed away at the age of 79 in Dubai after battling a prolonged illness.