Two-day court exemption for Musharraf

After examining former president Pervez Musharraf's medical report, a special court in Pakistan Tuesday granted the former army strongman exemption from appearing in the treason trial for two days.

The special court constituted for the treason trial of the former army chief adjourned the hearing until Jan 8, exempting him from appearing in the court Tuesday and Wednesday, the Dawn reported.

The court, headed by Justice Faisal Arab, added that it would announce a ruling in relation to the medical report Thursday.

Earlier Tuesday, Musharraf's medical report was submitted in the court. It evaluates certain tests carried out to measure his overall health after he failed to attend Monday's hearing of the treason case against him.

Meanwhile, addressing the court, Musharraf's lawyers said they did not have his medical certificate. Moreover, no one appeared Tuesday from the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC), where Musharraf was rushed Jan 2 after he complained of heart problems on the way to the court.

On Monday, the court had directed the AFIC to produce Musharraf's medical certificate Tuesday.

The court warned Jan 1 that it could issue an arrest warrant for the former military chief in case he failed to appear before it Jan 2, after Musharraf did not turn up for hearing the second time in 10 days.

But he was moved to a hospital on his way to the court Thursday, as he suffered a heart problem.

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

The government had last Nov 17 announced its decision to formally prosecute the former president for high treason.