Police find bomb near Musharraf´s house

ISLAMABAD: Police have defused a bomb planted near the house of former president and army chief Pervez Musharraf, just hours before he was to appear in court in a treason case.

Police officer Nayyar Saleem says officials scanning the route to court spotted the improvised bomb along a road on Wednesday, about two kilometers (a mile) from Musharraf´s farmhouse on Islamabad´s outskirts.

Musharraf didn´t appear before the court. His lawyers cited security issues.

This is the second time police have found explosives along the path Musharraf is to take to court. Four small bombs were found along the same route on Monday.

Musharraf ruled Pakistan for nearly a decade after taking power in a 1999 coup. The case relates to the state of emergency he imposed in 2007.