Musharraf to appear in court Feb 7

Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf will appear before a special court Feb 7 in the high treason case trial, sources close to Musharraf said Tuesday.

The sources said a joint police team from Islamabad and Rawalpindi has been informed about Musharraf's appearance in the court Friday, Dawn online reported.

On Jan 31, a three-judge bench of the special court had issued an arrest warrant for the former army chief in the treason case.

The special court constituted to try the former president had also rejected his application seeking medical treatment abroad, saying Musharraf's medical report did not state anywhere that he was unable to appear before the court.

The court directed that the warrant be sent to the inspector general of police, Islamabad, to get it served and submit its compliance report on the next hearing.

According to the order, Musharraf was also required to submit surety bonds worth Rs.2.5 million.

The joint police team Tuesday visited the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi to serve the warrant to Musharraf's security team, which also submitted the requisite surety bonds.

The Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistani government set up the special court to try the former army president on charges of high treason for imposing emergency and subverting the constitution in 2007.

Musharraf has been charged with abrogating, subverting, suspending, holding in abeyance, and attempting to conspire against the 1973 constitution by declaring emergency and detaining judges of the superior courts.