Islamabad, Dec 16 (IANS): Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf was Monday advised by the Sindh High Court to approach the government if he desired permission to go abroad to meet his ailing mother.

The court clarified that it had not put him on the country's exit control list -- effectively barring him from leaving Pakistan, Geo News reported.

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto were responding to Musharraf's petition to axe his name from the exit control list.

Justice Shah said Musharraf should approach the government instead.

A former army chief, Musharraf seized power in 1999 and was president from 2001 to 2008, when he stepped down and went on to live in London in self-exile. He returned to Islamabad in March this year.

Musharraf's counsel A.Q. Halepota said the former army chief's mother was sick and he wanted to go abroad to enquire about her health.

But in view of an order passed by the Sindh High Court, the government had banned Musharraf from leaving Pakistan, Halepota said.

Musharraf has been granted bail in four major cases, including one over former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination.

He is now facing trial for high treason -- for imposing emergency rule in 2007.