Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf has been arrested and will be held under house arrest in Islamabad for two days.
Earlier, TV images showed Pervez Musharraf entering a district court amid heavy security.
On Thursday a Pakistani court ordered the former leader’s arrest over an attempt to impose house arrest on judges in March 2007.
It was an unprecedented move against a former army chief who ruled the country for almost a decade.
Although Pervez Musharraf was present at court on Thursday when the warrant was issued, police made no attempt to arrest him and he rapidly returned to his home on the outskirts of the city.
Pervez Musharraf has been arrested and will be held under house arrest in Islamabad for two days
On Friday morning, according to his aides, Pervez Musharraf went to a district court escorted by his security detail and submitted himself for arrest to comply with Thursday’s court order.
Police said the arrest had taken place overnight at his home.
Pervez Musharraf’s legal team say they will challenge the arrest order in Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
Last month Pervez Musharraf returned from years of self-imposed exile hoping to lead his All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party into the general election next month.
Earlier this week his candidacy was rejected in Chitral, one of four seats he had applied to contest.
Pervez Musharraf had already failed in an attempt to stand in three other seats.
The case for which the former military ruler has been arrested relates to his controversial decision to dismiss judges – including Chief Justice Mohammad Iftikhar Chaudhry – when he imposed emergency rule in 2007.
Pervez Musharraf also faces several other criminal cases and had been trying to stave off arrest ever since he returned.
The Pakistani Taliban have also vowed to assassinate former President Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup.
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A Pakistani court has ordered the arrest of ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf over moves to impose house arrest on judges in March 2007.
Pervez Musharraf was present at the Islamabad High Court when the judges issued the order. He had been seeking to extend bail in the case.
Police present at the court did not arrest the former general when the order was made.
Pervez Musharraf immediately left the court and drove away escorted by his security detail.
Despite an unwritten judicial convention discouraging police arrests on court premises, suspects are normally handcuffed in court.
Pervez Musharraf can file an appeal against this court order in Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
A Pakistani court has ordered the arrest of ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf over moves to impose house arrest on judges in March 2007
The former leader returned from years of self-imposed exile last month hoping to lead his All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party into the general election next month.
But earlier this week his candidacy was rejected in Chitral, one of four seats he had applied to contest. He had already failed in an attempt to stand in three other seats. His legal team plan to appeal against that decision.
Pervez Musharraf is embroiled in a series of legal battles and has been attempting to stave off arrest ever since he returned, as well as an attempt to try him for treason. The Pakistani Taliban have also vowed to assassinate the former president, who seized power in a 1999 coup.
He is facing a number of charges related to his time in office with court proceedings over the killing of Benazir Bhutto in 2007 and a tribal leader from Balochistan.
He has described all the cases against him as “baseless” and politically motivated.
This is the first arrest warrant issued for the former ruler since his return to Pakistan.
Pervez Musharraf has already been barred by a court from leaving the country.
Many analysts believe that the authorities would not welcome his arrest at such a politically sensitive time.
Pakistan’s powerful military, of which he was the head until 2007, has not intervened to prevent his political fall.
But while his future appears increasingly bleak, few believe the military would allow a former chief to be thrown in jail or assassinated by militants.
Unconfirmed reports suggest Pervez Musharraf could still be arrested and detained at his property close to Islamabad, where he went after leaving court.
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Former military leader Pervez Musharraf has been barred from standing in Pakistan general elections in May.
An election tribunal disqualified Pervez Musharraf from running in Chitral in the north-west. Earlier, he failed in an attempt to stand in three other seats.
Pervez Musharraf’s lawyer says he plans to file an appeal with the Supreme Court.
Former military leader Pervez Musharraf has been barred from standing in Pakistan general elections in May
Meanwhile, at least four people were killed in an attack on a convoy of the main opposition PML-N party in the south-western province of Balochistan.
Pervez Musharraf returned from self-imposed exile in Dubai last month saying he wanted to save Pakistan.
The former military ruler is already embroiled in a series of legal battles attempting to stave off arrest, and a bid to try him for treason.
In addition to his legal and political problems, Pervez Musharraf is facing a security threat from the Pakistani Taliban, who have vowed to target him with a squad of suicide bombers.
There was no immediate claim for the attack in Balochistan. Correspondents say the area has no Taliban presence and is known to be a hotbed of separatist rebel activity.
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