Musharraf declared absconder by Pakistan court

Islamabad: A special court hearing treason charges against former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf declared him an absconder on Wednesday, almost two months after he left the country for medical treatment abroad.

The three-member bench of the special court, comprising Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Minakhel, Justice Syeda Tahira Safdar and Justice Mohammad Yawar Ali, declared Musharraf an absconder for his failure to appear before the court despite multiple summons, Dawn.com reported.

The court directed the prosecutor to publish advertisements in both Urdu and English newspapers declaring Musharraf an absconder, and place posters outside the court and Musharraf`s residences.

The prosecutor was also ordered to submit record of all property owned by the accused before the next hearing on July 12.

The court also ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to produce Musharraf before the court within 30 days.

Musharraf left for Dubai on March 18 for medical treatment with the promise to return in a few months after the Supreme Court allowed him to do so following a three-year ban imposed on him by the government on leaving the country.

In March 2014, Pervez Musharraf was formally charged with treason for imposing emergency on November 3, 2007.