ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: The trial of former president retired General Pervez Musharraf for high treason under Article 6 of the constitution is likely to commence next week as the registrar of the special court set up for the purpose has been appointed.

Law and Justice Secretary Barrister Zafarullah Khan told Dawn that district and sessions judge of the Sindh Judicial Service, Abdul Ghani Soomro, would assist the special court as its registrar.

The bench is headed by Justice Faisal Arab of the Sindh High Court. Other members are Justice Tahira Safdar of the Balochistan High Court and Justice Yawar Ali of the Lahore High Court The hearing will take place in a room of the Federal Shariat Court, Islamabad.

Under Section 4 of the Criminal Law Amendment (Special Courts) Act of 1976, the federal government constitutes a special court to try a person under Article 6 of the constitution.

The court enjoys exclusive jurisdiction and no other court could interfere in the trial.

Sources in the law ministry said that the law secretary, with the consent of Justice Arab, had forwarded a request to the SHC registrar to depute Mr Soomro to the special court.

Meanwhile, the law ministry requested the FSC administration on Saturday to allot a bigger room for the special court. The sources said the FSC had allotted a small courtroom which was not sufficient to accommodate a large number of local and foreign journalists.