Islamabad, Feb 18 (IANS): Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf appeared Tuesday amid tight security in a special court in Islamabad formed to hear high treason charges against him.

The 70-year-old is facing the charge of high treason, which can carry the death sentence, for imposing Emergency and subverting the constitution in 2007.

About 1,200 policemen, personnel of anti-terrorist squad and commandos were on duty and over 400 personnel deployed at the court premises, Dawn online reported citing a police official.

A three-member panel, headed by Justice Faisal Arab, is hearing the case against the former army chief.

The court reserved its ruling on whether to conduct Musharraf's trial in a military court.

Security was tightened along the former president's route from the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi to the court here.

Musharraf has been in hospital since Jan 2 after he complained of a heart problem.

On Feb 7, the court ordered Musharraf to appear before it Feb 18 after he failed to attend the court's proceedings earlier.