Treason trial: Court asks Musharraf to appear on December 24

On November 17, the government decided to initiate treason proceedings against Musharraf under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Attorney General Munir Malik has said there is strong evidence against Musharraf and he could be sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

The government recently finalised its charge-sheet, cataloguing five charges against Musharraf, including imposing emergency on November 3, 2007, detaining judges of superior courts and abrogating the Constitution.  

Musharraf came to power in 1999 by toppling a government led by current Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and ruled till 2008, when he was forced to resign after being threatened with impeachment.

He lived in self-exile for about five years and returned to Pakistan in March to contest elections but was hauled to court in different cases, including one over the 2007 assassination for former premier Benazir Bhutto.  

Musharraf has secured bail in four major cases against him but the trial for treason poses the biggest challenge to the former army commando.