Plea to prevent Musharraf trip abroad

Islamabad: A petition seeking a ban on former president Pervez Musharraf from leaving the country will be heard by the Islamabad High Court today.

Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam will hear the petition, which has been filed by Khwaja Khalid, a former ISI employee, who is now running a human rights group, court officials said.

The petitioner has blamed Musharraf and others including former interior minister Aftab Sherpao for the killing of "hundreds of innocent people" in a military operation at the Red Mosque in Islamabad in July 2007.

He has also requested the court to order the police to register a case on his complaint about the operation that - according to official toll - left more than 100 people dead, including several security personnel.

Musharraf resigned on Monday amid looming threat of impeachment by the ruling coalition through the parliament. Senate chairman Mohammadmian Soomro has taken over as acting president.