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Pakistani ex-President Musharraf charged with high treason
Published time: March 31, 2014 06:22
Edited time: March 31, 2014 07:28 A Pakistani court has charged former President Pervez Musharraf with treason for implementing emergency rule and suspending the constitution in 2007. Musharraf has already been found guilty of the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. If convicted of the charges he could face the death penalty.
Musharraf has pleaded not guilty and claims the charges are
politically-motivated. Musharraf tendered his resignation as president in 2008 because of
mounting charges against him by the Pakistani opposition. He then fled
into exile in London for four years, returning to Pakistan in March last
year with the intention of running in elections. Musharraf’s trial has been dogged with delays since it began last November. Initially the former president refused to present himself at a hearing after it was found that incendiary devices had been planted along the road to the court. In addition, he was taken to hospital with chest pains on the way to court at the beginning of January. |