Pak Oppn parties express reservation over Musharraf escaping the gallows

Islamabad: Pakistan's Opposition parties have expressed reservation over a top court's decision to quash the death sentence handed out to self-exiled former dictator Pervez Musharraf in the high treason case.

On Monday, the Lahore High Court declared Musharraf's trial by a special court as "unconstitutional", leading to the annulment of the death sentence against the ex-Army chief.

The special court in Islamabad on December 17 last handed down the death penalty to the 74-year-old retired general, now based in Dubai, after six years of hearing the high-profile treason case against him.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) expressed surprise and reservations over the judgement of the court, Dawn Newspaper reported.