Pak Govt directs Interior Ministry to block Pervez Musharraf's national identity card, passport

The Pakistan government on Thursday directed the interior ministry to block the national identity card (NIC) and passport of former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, said a media report. 

Complying with a special court's order, the government took the action to restrict the Dubai-based former president's travel and certain facilities available to him as he failed to appear before the court in the high treason case against him. The National Data Base and Registration Authority (NADRA) and Immigration and Passport Directorate were directed to undertake the action, the Express Tribune reported. Musharraf would not be able to travel abroad and would also be unable to avail the facility of banking transactions.

"He will also be barred from sale and purchase of his properties in Pakistan and abroad," the daily said quoting a source. The special court had ordered the government to arrest the former president and confiscate all his properties while hearing the high treason case against the "proclaimed offender" for imposing emergency rule in the country in 2007. The treason case was instituted on the charges of subverting the Constitution by imposing "emergency rule" on November 3, 2007.

On April 7, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar proposed fresh composition of the special bench, led by Lahore High Court Chief Justice Yawar Ali, but the federal government is yet to issue a formal notification. Musharraf, 74, was indicted in March, 2014 on treason charges for imposing emergency in 2007 which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges. The special court had earlier directed the Interior Ministry to approach the Interpol for the arrest of Musharraf.

A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. Musharraf ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. He is wanted in Pakistan in several criminal cases including in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.