Benazir Bhutto case: Musharraf should be declared absconder, says FIA

Letter by Britis­h govern­ment presen­ted in court, Mushar­raf extrad­ition denied on ground­s of no formal...


Obaid Abbasi April 24, 2011

RAWALPINDI:


The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has asked a Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) to declare former president Pervez Musharraf a proclaimed offender after the British government formally refused to extradite him to Pakistan.


The former president is accused of being negligent in providing security to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto shortly before she was assassinated on December 27, 2007. According to an FIA report, he did not take the requisite security measures to prevent her assassination, despite being aware of the imminent danger to her life.

During the course of hearing on Saturday, Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar submitted to the court the British Home department’s letter in which they formally refused to hand over Musharraf to Pakistan, citing the lack of an extradition treaty between Britain and Pakistan.

Azhar requested the court to declare Musharraf a proclaimed offender and confiscate all his property in the country. The prosecution also submitted a copy of an interview Musharraf gave to a television channel last week.

Musharraf has been dividing his time between Dubai and London since leaving office in August 2008 and going into self-imposed exile, but he has property in Pakistan, including a large estate in the suburbs of Islamabad.

ATC Special Judge Rana Nasir Ahmed said that Musharraf would be declared proclaimed offender after the FIA submits the compliance report of his arrest warrants and adjourned the case till May 7.

Former city police officer (CPO) Saud Aziz and superintendent police Khurram Shahzad, two of the other accused in the case, were also present before the court. They were granted bail from the Lahore High Court in March.

Earlier on February 8 the court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Musharraf for the first time to be served at his London address. Arrest warrants were reissued on February 18.

The judge had expressed his annoyance at the delay in arresting the former president and asked the FIA to produce him in court by April 23, but the FIA asked for more time to execute his arrest warrants.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2011.


COMMENTS (33)

Munir Saami | 12 years ago | Reply @Hedgefunder You have already repeated what I have been pleading. So it is my duty and yours to keep telling all that we need to be civilized and respect the bedrock that you have agreed is the constitution of Pakistan. Whoever has violated it should be brought to justice. You also asked, "Lastly tell me can the people of Pakistan face up to these challenges?". You say No, I say yes. You also answer your question, "Start educating the future generation and the present generation basic curriculum of excellance, rather than religion or politics!!!!" I agree with your answer. Let you and I and all who have even an iota of conscience, should continue to educate one person at a time. You take your friends and acquaintances, and I my own. If you would like to know how, this is how I try. Please visit the link and join it and propagate your valuable ideas. Cheers: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Writers_Forum/
Hedgefunder | 12 years ago | Reply @Munir Saami: The Constitution of the Nation is bedrock and holy grail of any society's foundation and maintain the well being of its citizens. This is not to be tempered with as and when the people in power choose to do so for self interests!! How many times has the Constitution of Pakistan been toyed with and amended by its people, since created by its founding fathers? Why did electorate allow that to happen in Pakistan? It is due to lack of respect for the Constitution, that Pakistan finds itself where it is today! No respect for Law and Order, Judiciary being politicised, Authority of elected members diluted to the extent, that its an embarrassment for the nation as to who are actual decision makers! The general welfare and basic services for the masses totally disregarded. The right to practice religious beliefs by all the people without hinderance, totally discarded. These are the symptoms of failed society and nation ! How does one treat this disease ! well for start they need to put the Clergy back in their place of business, which is Mosques and return Army back in the Barracks rather than making nation's policies ! Then the people of Pakistan need to elect Members with sincerity to act on their behalf, rather than for themselves to the Assembly and ensure the process is transparent too! Start educating the future generation and the present generation basic curriculum of excellance, rather than religion or politics!!!! Then perhaps the future of the nation may stand a chance of surviving and developing in society which can stand up and be counted. The cauldron of hate and misinformation that have been served to the masses for past few decades will take time to solve, but at least it will be in right direction for change. Lastly tell me can the people of Pakistan face up to these challenges? Or will those elites and in power ever allow this social revolution to take place?? I am afraid the answer will be NO ! So if the Natiion did not change and amend the constitution and respected it in first place than perhaps one would not have these sort of complications to resolve.
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