Former president Pervez Musharraf was formally indicted when he arrived in Special Court hearing for the high treason case against him Monday. 
Five charges were framed against him which included imposition of emergency on Nov 3, 2007 as army chief, promulgation of PCO, forcing judges of superior judiciary to take oath under the PCO, ‘illegally’ assuming authority to amend the Constitution and ‘unlawful’ amendments in the Constitution. Justice Tahira Saeed read out the charge sheet before the former president who denied all charges. “Whatever I did, I did for betterment of this nation and the country.
Served honour to this nation, is it an act of treason? We strove for eight years for development of this county, is that treason too?” Musharraf said in response to the allegations. The charges of high treason carry the death sentence. Earlier today, he was produced in the court amid tight security measures to face the charges of high treason. The court had ordered Musharraf’s arrest over non-appearance in today’s proceeding. Barrister Farogh Nasim, who is also Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Senator, had been appointed Musharraf’s lawyer and was accompanied by Musharraf’s guarantor and a close aide, Major Gen. (retd) Rashid Qureshi.
Barrister Farogh Nasim pleaded the court to let Musharraf visit his mother, who is said to be critical in a hospital in UAE. The 95-year-old Zarin Musharraf was rushed to WW Wilson Hospital in Sharjah Saturday, ahead of her son’s scheduled appearance. The lawyer said that his client’s mother could not come t to Pakistan, therefore he must be allowed to visit her in Dubai. Islamabad’s Red Zone was completely sealed on Monday morning when special security squad escorted Musharraf to the court from Rawalpindi’s military court where he has been under treatment for heart ailment since January 2014. – SAMAA
