Former Pakistani President Will Stand Trial

Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf will stand trial for treason, the country's interior ministry announced this weekend.

Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf will stand trial for treason, the country's interior ministry announced this weekend. According to the Associated Press, the charges stem from suspending the constitution and declaring a state of emergency while in power.

According to the Interior Minister cited, Musharraf violated the constitution in order to protect his position in power:

He specifically mentioned Musharraf's decision to suspend senior judges, including the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and detain them after he declared a state of emergency on Nov. 3, 2007. He was apparently concerned they would challenge his re-election as president.

Musharraf led the country following a coup in 1999 until 2008, when he stepped down due to growing discontent with his leadership. He then went into self-imposed exile, but returned to the countryin March of this year.

The new charges are not the first for the former leader. In August, he was charged with the assassination of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. He also faces at least three other criminal cases.