Pakistan court issues arrest warrant for Musharraf

Pervez Musharraf AP FILE PHOTO

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—A Pakistani court trying the country’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf for treason has asked police to arrest him if he fails to attend the next court hearing on March 31.

Court registrar Abdul Ghani Soomro says the court on Friday also directed the government to ensure Musharraf’s safety when he travels to the court from a hospital, where he has been treated since January.

Musharraf’s lawyer Anwar Mansoor Khan told the court that Musharraf did not appear Friday because of security reasons.

The legal proceedings in Musharraf’s high treason case started in December but the former general has only appeared once in court since then and still has not been formally charged.

The treason case stems from Musharraf’s 2007 decision declaring a state of emergency and firing judges.