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Musharraf under house arrest

Schuster, KathleenApril 19, 2013

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is to remain under house arrest until a scheduled court appearance in coming days. Police arrested the ex-leader and brought him before court after he had fled from officials.

https://p.dw.com/p/18J7v
Pakistani police patrol in front of the residence of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf after he was placed under house arrest in Islamabad on April 19, 2013. A Pakistani court put ex-military leader Pervez Musharraf under house arrest, an unprecedented move against a former army chief of staff, after he surrendered to a magistrate. AFP PHOTO/ AAMIR QURESHI (Photo credit should read AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images)
Image: AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images

Islamabad's high court allowed the former president to await his upcoming court appearance at his nearby residence, rather than in jail, according to his lawyer and a spokesperson for his All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).

"Now the police have to present him before the anti-terrorism court in two day's time," Musharraf attorney Naveed Malik told the news agency Reuters.

Musharraf faces charges of allegedly removing several judges during his term illegally, including a supreme court justice.

Police arrested Musharraf and escorted him to the courthouse on Friday. The previous day, he had fled officials after learning that the court had revoked his bail.

After living in self-imposed exile for nearly five years, Pervez Musharraf returned to Pakistan in late March, vowing to run in the country's general elections. The court dismissed his candidacy earlier this week.

In 1999, Musharraf seized power in a military coup. During his time in office, he maintained a strong partnership with the US government in its "war on terror," while also supporting measures to combat insurgencies in his own country. In 2008, the threat of impeachment forced him to relinquish power and eventually leave Pakistan.

kms/ (AFP, Reuters)