ISLAMABAD: Pakistan police on Tuesday registered a case against ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf for ordering the house arrest of top judges during a bid to hold onto power two years ago, an official said.

Musharraf imposed a state of emergency and sacked about 60 judges on November 3, 2007 when the supreme court appeared poised to declare him ineligible to contest a presidential election while in military uniform.

On a plea filed by lawyer Aslam Ghuman, Islamabad's district and sessions judge Mohammad Akmal on Monday directed police to register a case against Musharraf, who is currently in London.

"We have registered a case against Pervez Musharraf under Pakistan's Penal Code," Hakim Khan, the chief officer of the relevant police station, told AFP.

The registration of the case will now see police investigate the charges levelled against the former head of state, who seized power in a 1999 coup