ISLAMABAD: The three-judge special court constituted to try former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf for ‘high treason’ decided on Tuesday to indict him on January 1.

“On January 1 the court will read out the statement of charges against the accused,” said Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court who presided over the proceedings in the National Library Auditorium, Islamabad.

Other members of the court are Justice Yawar Ali of the Lahore High Court and Justice Tahira Safdar of the Balochistan High Court.

After framing the charges the court will summon witnesses and evidence from the prosecution.

The court exempted the former military ruler from appearing on Tuesday after his counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan informed it that security personnel had found five kilograms of explosives and a pistol in a shopping bag near the residence of Gen Musharraf.

He said Mr Musharraf was facing serious life threats and it was not possible for him to appear before the court unless the federal government provided him “extraordinary security”. He requested the court to order the federal government to provide security to Gen Musharraf.

Nasiruddin Khan Nayyer, special prosecutor for the federal government, said Gen Musharraf’s presence in the court was mandatory because he was an accused in the case. He pointed out that since the former president had been facing a bailable offence, he must file an application for his pre-arrest bail. Otherwise, the court should issue his arrest warrants.

At the outset of the proceedings, Sharifuddin Pirzada, the counsel for Gen Musharraf, informed the court that the defence side had filed two separate applications challenging the constitution of the special court, appointment of its judges and selection of Advocate Akram Sheikh as head of the prosecution team.

These were similar to the petitions dismissed by the Islamabad High Court on Monday.

The special court directed the federal government to submit its reply by January 1. At the next hearing, the court will take up both the matters -- indictment of Gen Musharraf and the petitions.