ISLAMABAD, APR 07 (DNA) –  The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday nominated Justice Yawar Ali as head of the special court’s bench hearing the high treason case against former president Pervez Musharraf.

The top judge also nominated Sindh High Court’s (SHC) Justice Nazar Akbar as the bench’s new member. Other members of the bench are Justice Yawar, Justice Akbar and Justice Tahira Safdar of the Balochistan High Court.

The nomination was given in cue with the federal government’s request, and comes after Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court (PHC) Yahya Afridi recused himself from the case.

Justice Yawar has been a member of the special court and will be leading the bench now. The treason case is pending since November 2013. Musharraf’s counsel had earlier raised objections over Justice Yahya heading the bench arguing that the judge was part of the lawyers’ movement.

The bench had earlier maintained its March 8 order to suspend Musharraf’s CNIC and passport. Despite security reassurances from the interior minister, Musharraf has declined to come back to the country.

Legal analysts have labelled the security concerns laid by Musharraf’s lawyer as mere excuses to not to return to the country and will never return to the country.

The court had also directed the interior ministry to approach Interpol for the arrest of the former president.