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Pakistani Police Arrest Former President Musharraf


Pakistani police arrested former president Pervez Musharraf on Friday, presenting him before an Islamabad court on charges stemming from his firing of top judges when he was in power in 2007.

Mr. Musharraf was placed under house arrest and allowed to return home, before being moved to Islamabad police headquarters. It is unclear whether he will be allowed back to his house before he is scheduled to appear before an anti-terrorism court in two days.

After he was arrested Friday, the 69-year-old former military ruler took to Facebook, calling the allegations against him "politically motivated" and vowing to fight them. One of his senior lawyers told VOA Mr. Musharraf will appeal his case all the way to the Supreme Court.

His arrest is the first of any former chief of the Pakistani army.



A judge had actually ordered Mr. Musharraf's arrest on Thursday, rejecting his bail request. But the former president fled the courtroom with his bodyguards.

Mr. Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999. He was forced to step down in 2008 under threat of impeachment.

He lived in self-imposed exile for about four years before returning to Pakistan late last month with plans to run for parliament in general elections next month. Since his return, courts have ruled him ineligible for the poll.

Mr. Musharraf is also facing other legal challenges, including allegations that he failed to provide adequate security to prevent the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He has denied involvement in the plot to kill her.
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