The former president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf has sped away from a court in Islamabad which had ordered his arrest.

He returned from exile last month and is facing charges connected with his years in power.

Police present at the court made no attempt to arrest him.

The former general immediately left the court and drove away escorted by his security detail.

The BBC's Orla Guerin described his escape as a moment of "high drama and farce".ex president of pakistan runs from the court room after his arrest orders
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Police say former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf has sped away from a court in the country's capital to avoid arrest after his bail was revoked.

Police officer Ali Asghar says policemen were deployed at the court building in Islamabad on Thursday, but Musharraf's security team rushed him out and put him in a black SUV before they could detain him.

Asghar says the court rejected his bail in a case related to his decision to suspend the constitution and declare a state of emergency in 2007.

A spokeswoman for Musharraf, Saima Ali Dada, says his legal team is trying to decide the next move.BREAKING NEWS: Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf who returned home after four years of exile, despite the fatal threats from Taliban is now barred from contesting elections. After a Sindh Court rejected his bail plea. Foiling his attempt to run in the upcoming elections in Pakistan, due in May. Mr. Musharraf faces charges of not providing adequate security to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto before her assassination in 2007. According to the TV reports, Musharraf soon fled the courtroom after the decision was announced.pakistan,cnn,bbc,runs,court,musharafn the previous hearing, the high court had extended Musharraf's interim bail till April 18.

Dawn said the case was based on an FIR against the retired general registered in Aug 11, 2009 on the complaint of Chaudhry Mohammad Aslam Ghumman, an advocate.

He had asked the police to initiate legal proceedings against Musharraf for detaining over 60 judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, after proclamation of a state of emergency in the country Nov 3, 2007.

Xinhua recalled that the judges had refused to take oath under his Provincial Constitutional Order.

A lower court had previously issued arrest warrant for Musharraf as he failed to appear before the court despite several orders.

He faces other legal cases, including treason charges for imposing emergency rule, the 2007 assassination of former Premier Benazir Bhutto and the killing of a Baloch leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006.

Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999 and resigned in August 2008 to avoid impeachment by the parliament, has denied all the charges and vowed to defend himself in courts.

He returned to Pakistan after over four years of self-imposed exile in Britain and the UAE to lead his All Pakistan Muslim League in the May 11 parliamentary elections. But all four applications to contest the polls, including from Islamabad, have been rejected by the Election Commission.

Ali Dayan Hasan, Pakistan director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement, that the former military ruler's escape from the court "underscores his disregard for due legal process and indicates his assumption that as a former army chief and military dictator he can evade accountability for abuses".

"It is essential that Pakistan's military authorities which are protecting the former dictator comply with the Islamabad High Court's orders and ensure that he presents himself for arrest," the statement added.

It said that "continued military protection for General Musharraf will make a mockery of claims that Pakistan's armed forces support the rule of law and bring the military further disrepute that it can ill afford".


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