Musharraf treason trial: Special Pakistani court orders re-investigation

Islamabad: A special Pakistani court holding the treason trial of ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf for allegedly subverting the Constitution in 2007 on Friday ordered re-investigation into the case.

The court also tasked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to complete the investigation by December 17 and report it.

It also rejected a plea by Mr Pervez Musharraf's lawyer, Farogh Nasim, to include investigators from army-run intelligence agencies in the team tasked to carry out the fresh probe.

After sweeping to power in 2013, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) constituted a three-member special court to try Mr Pervez Musharraf for allegedly subverting the Constitution in November 2007.

A three-member special court started trial on the case in December 2013 on behalf of the federal government when he was president of the country.

Under the 1973 Constitution, abrogation of the constitution will be an act of high treason, liable to death under Pakistan's treason laws.

State prosecutor Akram Sheikh opposed the reinvestigation and said that nothing changed materially as the same government was in the office which launched the treason case.

He said that Mr Pervez Musharraf failed to cooperate with the FIA during the process of investigation, despite several notices given to him.

"The federal government will file a review petition against Islamabad High Court's verdict in this case," Mr Sheikh said.

Mr Pervez Musharraf, 72, was indicted in April 2014 but since then no progress has been made in the case for various reasons.

He grabbed power in 1999 by deposing then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and ruled till 2008 when he was forced to resign.

Mr Pervez Musharraf lives in Karachi with his daughter. He is not allowed to leave the country under an order by the court.