Lawyer says Musharraf's next court appearance dependent on health condition

(2 Jan 2014) Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf was rushed to hospital on Thursday with a "heart problem" he experienced while on his way to a court hearing in a high treason case, police and lawyers said. Mohammed Ali Saif, a lawyer for the former Pakistani president, said that Musharraf, who is 70, had been kept in an intensive care unit and that his next court appearance was dependent on his health condition. "He has been kept in an intensive care unit on these conditions, and this situation the court has exempted him from appearance today. But, in so far as his appearance on the next date of his hearing is concerned, that will depend on his health conditions and whatever advice his doctors give," Saif told reporters after Thursday's court session. The unexpected detour to the hospital is the latest drama in the legal problems that the former army chief has faced since returning to the country in March in the hope of running in elections. It was also the third time he had failed to show up in court for the key case against him. Instead of a political comeback, Musharraf has been confronted with a barrage of legal cases relating to his time in office. But the high treason case is the most serious and could result in the death penalty if he's convicted. Deputy Inspector Jan Mohammed told the court on Thursday that Musharraf was taken to the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in the nearby city of Rawalpindi after falling ill on his way from his farmhouse on the Islamabad suburbs to the National Library where the high treason proceedings are being held. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...