Musharraf not to be tried in military court

The 70-year-old is facing charges of high treason, which can carry the death sentence, for imposing Emergency

A special court in Pakistan constituted to try former president Pervez Mushharaf ruled Friday that his treason trial will not take place in a military court, and summoned him before it March 11.

The 70-year-old is facing charges of high treason, which can carry the death sentence, for imposing the Emergency and subverting the constitution in 2007.

During the hearing, the three-judge panel announced its decision, which was reserved earlier over rejecting Musharraf's plea that challenged the jurisdiction of the special court and sought to hold the trial at a military court, reported Dawn online.

The court said Musharraf could not be tried in a military court since he was a retired army general.

To avoid possible arrest, the former army chief appeared for the first time Feb 18 in the court, which deferred his indictment.

The former army chief had filed three applications challenging the appointment of the head of the prosecution team, establishment and the jurisdiction of the special court.

Musharraf has been in a military hospital since Jan 2 after he complained of a heart problem when he was being driven to the court in Islamabad.

The former president had got bail in three cases, including the 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. She was killed in Rawalpindi during Musharraf's rule.