The hearing into allegations of treason and hijacking against deposed premier Nawaz Sharif has been adjourned while his defence receives additional evidence.

The judge ordered Mr Sharif to return to court on Tuesday, along with his six co-accused.

Correspondents say he could be formally charged in the next two days.

A new judge was put in charge after the last hearing was interrupted because of the presence of plain clothes intelligence officials in the courtroom.

In that instance, Justice Shabbir Ahmed of the Sindh High Court declared that he could not conduct a fair trial in such conditions and transferred the case to an anti-terrorist court. The move shocked lawyers on both sides.

Mr Sharif was removed from power in a military coup last October.

The military authorities say they are charging him with attempted murder, attempted hijacking and waging war against Pakistan.

They say Mr Sharif jeopardised the lives of Pakistan's military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, and nearly 200 other passengers, when their plane was prevented from landing at Karachi airport on the night of the coup last October.

Before the hearing reconvenes, the prosecution and defence are to arrange the copying of material recorded in the air traffic control tower.

Delays

Mr Sharif insists the case against him is fabricated and, in comments to reporters attending his hearings, he has become increasingly critical of General Musharraf's performance.

The military had hoped for a rapid trial. But the process has been marked by a series of delays - many resulting from technical legal arguments about who has jurisdiction over the case and the nature of the evidence which the prosecution should be allowed to use.

In formal terms, the trial has not begun because for that to happen the presiding judge must read out the charges to the open court room.

The BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones in Islamabad says even when the trial proper does begin, there seems little prospect of it being concluded quickly.