ISLAMABAD: A local court on Saturday declared former president Pervez Musharraf a proclaimed offender (PO) in the murder case of a cleric.

This is the second case in the current month in which the former military ruler has been declared a proclaimed offender after he left the country in March following removal of his name from the exit control list.

On May 11, the special court seized with the high treason case declared him a proclaimed offender for his continuous absence in the trial proceedings.

In April, the anti-terrorism court Islamabad issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Musharraf in the judges’ detention case. Sources privy to the case expressed the possibility that the prosecution may initiate the process of declaring the former president as a proclaimed offender in the next hearing on July 12.

When an accused fails to appear before a court, action under section 87 or 88 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) is taken to declare him a proclaimed offender.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Pervaizul Qadir Memon on Saturday took up the murder case. While issuing the proclamation, the judge sought the details of Musharraf’s properties. It is only after a proclamation is obtained that the court starts the process of declaring the accused an absconder and confiscate their properties.

The cleric‘s family filed the case against Musharraf in 2013 for his alleged involvement in the killing of Abdul Rashid Ghazi during the 2007 military operation in Lal Masjid.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2016