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| Pakistan's Musharraf charged in treason case | Pakistan's Musharraf charged in treason case |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A court in Pakistan has charged former military ruler Pervez Musharraf with treason, the first army chief to face such a prosecution. | A court in Pakistan has charged former military ruler Pervez Musharraf with treason, the first army chief to face such a prosecution. |
| Mr Musharraf is accused of unlawfully suspending the constitution and instituting emergency rule in 2007. | Mr Musharraf is accused of unlawfully suspending the constitution and instituting emergency rule in 2007. |
| He pleaded not guilty and has always claimed that the charges against him are politically motivated. He could face the death penalty if convicted. | |
| President from 2001 to 2008, he was one of Pakistan's longest-serving rulers. | President from 2001 to 2008, he was one of Pakistan's longest-serving rulers. |
| He went into self-imposed exile in 2008, returning to Pakistan in March 2013. | He went into self-imposed exile in 2008, returning to Pakistan in March 2013. |
| He had hoped to lead his party into elections, but was disqualified from standing and found himself fighting an array of charges relating to his time in power. | He had hoped to lead his party into elections, but was disqualified from standing and found himself fighting an array of charges relating to his time in power. |
| The 70-year-old has been in hospital since the beginning of the year and reports say he is being treated for high blood pressure. | The 70-year-old has been in hospital since the beginning of the year and reports say he is being treated for high blood pressure. |
| The judge read out five charges to Mr Musharraf. | The judge read out five charges to Mr Musharraf. |
| He pleaded "not guilty" to each of them but also addressed the court with a speech about his services to the country and questioned how he could be called a traitor, declaring that he was a patriot. | He pleaded "not guilty" to each of them but also addressed the court with a speech about his services to the country and questioned how he could be called a traitor, declaring that he was a patriot. |
| "I am being called a traitor, I have been chief of army staff for nine years and I have served this army for 45 years. I have fought two wars and it is 'treason'?" the Agence France-Presse news agency quoted him as saying. | |
| "Is this the way to reward someone for being loyal to the country and for loving the country?" the former president asked the court. | |
| Mr Musharraf insists that he acted within the constitution when he declared a state of emergency in the country in 2007 and that he did not act alone when taking that decision. | Mr Musharraf insists that he acted within the constitution when he declared a state of emergency in the country in 2007 and that he did not act alone when taking that decision. |
| When the former president entered the court he was heavily guarded, but nevertheless appeared relaxed, even waving to the audience. | When the former president entered the court he was heavily guarded, but nevertheless appeared relaxed, even waving to the audience. |
| The court has adjourned and its next task is to decide whether Mr Musharraf will be allowed to leave the country to visit his sick mother in Dubai. | The court has adjourned and its next task is to decide whether Mr Musharraf will be allowed to leave the country to visit his sick mother in Dubai. |
| He is currently on the exit control list which restricts certain Pakistani nationals from leaving the country and is under house arrest. | He is currently on the exit control list which restricts certain Pakistani nationals from leaving the country and is under house arrest. |
| Mr Musharraf seized power from Mr Sharif in a coup in 1999. He remained president until 2008, when a democratically elected government came into power. | Mr Musharraf seized power from Mr Sharif in a coup in 1999. He remained president until 2008, when a democratically elected government came into power. |
| He left the country soon afterwards to live in self-imposed exile in Dubai and London. | He left the country soon afterwards to live in self-imposed exile in Dubai and London. |