Sindh HC tells Musharraf to appear on August 31

The development came nearly two weeks after Musharraf was booked by the Islamabad Police for illegally detaining over 60 judges during the emergency in November 2007. A Lahore court also directed local police on Tuesday to explain by September 2 why a case was not registered against Musharraf for illegally ordering a crackdown on judges.

The Sindh High Court,which asked him to appear before it on August 31,was hearing a petition and three related applications,including one that asks for the former President be made a respondent,on violence that rocked Karachi on May 12,2007 over an aborted visit by Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhary,who had been suspended at that time by Musharraf.

Over 40 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes between MQM workers and supporters of Chaudhary and the PPP in May 2007. The MQM was blamed for instigating violence.

The petition and applications were filed by rights activist Iqbal Kazmi,who alleged that the violence occurred on the directives of Musharraf.