Pak court orders confiscation of Musharraf's properties

A local court has ordered the confiscation of properties owned by former Pakistan president General (Retd.) Pervez Musharraf over his continued failure to attend the trial proceedings in the murder case of Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Pervaizul Qadir Memon during the hearing yesterday also dismissed Musharraf's applications seeking quashment of the FIR in the murder case and permanent exemption from personal appearance and immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution, reports the Dawn.

Article 248 reads: "The president, governor, prime minister, federal minister, minister of state, chief minister and provincial minister shall not be answerable to any court for the exercise of powers and performance of the functions of their respective offices."

While dismissing the applications, the court observed that the applications had become infructuous after the abscondence of the former military ruler.

The court also confiscated the bonds submitted when Musharraf was granted bail in the case earlier in November 2013.

The judge adjourned further proceedings in the case till his arrest.

The former president had fled abroad soon after his name was removed from the Exit Control List in March this year.

Earlier on May 21, the same court declared Musharraf a proclaimed offender in the murder case. On May 11, the special court seized with a high treason case also declared him a proclaimed offender for his continuous absence during the trial.