Police defuse bombs found near Musharraf's house

Pakistani police today defused four small bombs found near former Pakistani dictator Pervez Musharraf's farmhouse here, nearly a week after explosives were discovered on the road he was to take to a court.
According to the police, the improvised devices containing explosives in packets were found in a forested area on Park Road near Musharraf's villa at Chak Shahzad.
Each packet contained around 400 to 500 grams of explosives and there were two detonators, police officials said. A passerby spotted the devices a short distance from the farmhouse.
On December 24, Musharraf could not attend the first hearing of a special court set up to try him on a charge of high treason when explosives and a detonator, which had not been assembled into a bomb, were found near a road close to his home.

Security personnel had also found detonator wire, two pistols and 16 bullets when they were sanitising Musharraf's route. A bomb disposal squad arrived at the scene and defused the explosives.
Musharraf is now set to appear in the special court on January 1 to face treason charges for suspending and abrogating the Constitution when he imposed an emergency in November 2007.

His lawyer said last week that security threats had prevented Musharraf from appearing in court. Members of his legal team told the media today that they were discussing whether Musharraf should appear at the next hearing.
The 70-year-old former army chief yesterday described the treason allegations as a "vendetta" against him.

Musharraf has been embroiled in criminal cases since he returned to Pakistan from self-exile in March. He has also been barred from leaving the country.