Musharraf treason case: Would appear before court if MoD provides security

Pakistan's former dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf today informed a special court hearing the treason case that he would appear before it if the Defence Ministry provides him security, according to a media report.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the ex-army chief Musharraf over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

A special court presided over by Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Yawar summoned the interior secretary on August 27. The bench will also consider whether the trial can continue without recording Musharraf's statement, The Express Tribune reported.

Musharraf, 74, who is currently residing in Dubai, has refused to return to Pakistan citing security reasons.

Advocate Akhtar Shah, counsel for the former president, said his client would appear if the defence ministry provided security. The court observed that it is the federal government's duty to provide security for the accused and adjourned the hearing of the case till August 27, the report said.

Last month, lawyer Akram Sheikh stepped down as the head of the prosecution team tasked by the government in 2013 to prosecute Musharraf.

Sheikh was appointed as the head of the prosecution in the case, by the then-PML-N led government.

Musharraf, the former army chief, was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges.

On March 18, 2016, he left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List on the orders of the Supreme Court.

A few months later, a special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show.

Later, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and identity card were also cancelled since he failed to return to the country despite giving him a last chance.

The legal experts believe that the treason case is a test for the newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan's, as one of the reasons of civil-military tussle was that the PML-N government had initiated the case against the former army chief.