Musharraf treason case to be heard on March 8

Islamabad: A special tribunal in Pakistan will resume on March 8 the hearing of treason case against former military dictator Pervez Musharraf for imposing emergency rule in the country in 2007. Musharraf, 74, who left the country for Dubai in March 2016 , was declared a proclaimed absconder by the court in May 2016. The court also asked the government to confiscate his properties, including a farm house in suburbs of capital Islamabad.

The former president was indicted in March, 2014 on treason charges for imposing emergency in the country which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges.

A three-member bench headed by Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Yahyah Afridi will now resume the hearing in the case. During the last hearing in the case, the court ordered the Interior Ministry to reverify Musharraf s properties and provide details of his current assets and bank transactions.

The court, during the proceedings, had also expressed dissatisfaction over the details of the former dictator’s properties, saying that the details are only up till 2008. A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.

An official said that the decision to resume the hearing was taken after Musharraf s wife and daughter approached the court about the attachment of his properties. His family members asked the court to release their share in the property which is not entirely owned by Musharraf.

The court while fixing the date for hearing also asked Musharraf to appear before it and ordered authorities to provide fool proof security to him. Musharraf ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. He is wanted in Pakistan in several criminal cases including in the killing of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

It is not sure if he would return to face the case on March 8. In May 2017, he conveyed to the court that he was ready to come back and face the high treason case if he was provided army s protection and allowed to return to Dubai after hearing.