Bhutto assassination case: Trial court orders seizure of Musharraf’s assets
An anti-terrorism court has ordered authorities to seize all of Pervez Musharraf’s property and issued a permanent arrest warrant in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.
Special Judge ATC-III Shahid Rafique, who has been conducting the trial, on Saturday, directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to move for confiscating both the movable and immovable property and seizing bank accounts in Musharraf’s name, following his failure to appear before the court after he was included in the list of the accused.
Musharraf’s property details provided to the court by the FIA included a farmhouse in Chak Shahzad, Islamabad; a 1,000-square-yard plot in Gwadar and over Rs80 million in six different banks.
The FIA informed the court that they had sent letters and rejoinders to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) as well as the General Headquarters (GHQ) authorities to provide the details of any property owned by the former president. However, no response had so far been received.
In February, the FIA cited Musharraf as one of the accused in the case and declared him an absconder after he failed to cooperate with investigators. Musharraf has been accused of threatening Bhutto and trying to influence post-murder investigations.
The court also issued permanent warrants for Musharraf’s arrest and decided to proceed against five of the accused who are in custody and two accused police officers on bail.
Meanwhile, the court deferred the matter of formally indicting the accused, including Hasnain Gul, Rafaqat Hussain, Rasheed Ahmed, Sher Zaman, Aitzaz Shah, former Rawalpindi police head Saud Aziz and former SP Khurram Shahzad, because of the unavailiability of one of the defence counsels.
The court will resume the case on September 10. Also on Saturday, accused Sher Zaman filed a post-arrest bail application in the trial court, which will be taken up on September 5.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2011.
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@Maria: Treason? His 'take over' (actually he was in the air) was regularised by none other than an honorable supreme court bench which included the present CJ. You mention UK & USA. Take note he is still well respected in the in numerous countries and some even give him VIP protocal. He is member of the elite club of highest paid speakers in the world--China, Malaysia Sweden etc. Look before you leap!
This is unbelievable how our courts victimising with the backing of pmln.they say Musharraf didn't provide enough security but what about the killers.any progress on that no.every one knows any one who want to hunt down Musharraf is pmln. Pmln's pain growing more as people saying on streets we want Musharraf back in power.they are sick of ppp nd pmln. Shame on these courts where they need to focus they don't.
Well these are my fellow Pakistanis, Shame on us, whenever some ruler does good to Pakistan; this is exactly how we treat him. We can take the example of Ayub Khan in whose time Pakistan's economy grew by 7.8% which was 3 times of India at that time but what did we do, we kicked him out. Then Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was doing a good job but we hung him and yea no one opposed Zia ul Haq w7.8%ho himself opened alcohol factories in Pakistan to export it. Then we look at Nawaz Sharif who likes to make people drive taxis all the time and who is extremely generous of using zakat money on his election campaign and one who freezed dollar accounts in the reign. Right now people respect this guy more than Musharraf. Now we look at our president who declared himself mentally ill in court and loves Pakistan so much that people are suffering here but instead he goes for trips abroad all the time but we still this guy much more than Musharraf. We don't like Musharraf because in his reign the economy grew by 7.8%, dollar was Rs. 68, there was no sign of target killing in Karachi, all the country was in peace, he stopped our Great Maulvis from brain washing young children, he made communication better and Pakistan had been Stabilized for 8 damn years. Yet we think he was a bad leader, there's only one explanation, we are shameless.
Sure he is a human being and everyone makes mistakes and he did too and yea he did too but he is not a murderer.
Pakistan is ruling elite suffers from a mental aberration, instead of fighting messy political situation, enemies within and outside it is indulging witch-hunting. This is another case of glaring witch hunting. No country has such a worst kind of tract record- It assassinated first prime minister, then put the most charismatic leader after Jinnah to gallows- No country would have put Z.A. Bhutto to gallows- the man who took out his country out of morass of humiliating defeat. He might have erred but that never called for putting him to gallows. Justice was manipulated - I am amazed at Pakistan judges, they have no commitment to their country and national interest. Now Musharraf is in row- after 9/11 Pakistan would have become another Afghanistan but for Mushraff's understanding of situation. He saved his country from being sucked into a war as good as in Iraq. Pakistan society must rise against these witch hunting.
This is the same court which is cleared Anjum Aqeel from 'Jail Escape' case due to lack of evidence( though he was missing from jail in day light during the night time and police thought he was in jail).
That explains the eagerness of the ATC to convict Musharraf in 'Get Musharraf in Court Case' (aka Benazir Assassination Case) to stop Pervez Musharraf from returning; sponsored by Rana Sanaullah who is a close associate of the judge
@Sher Afgan Niazi: You respect a so called commando who can only fight unarmed civilians and take over his own nation's government. This is the opposite of what a proud soldier or commando would do. They are entrusted to uphold the constitution and laws. Guess what would happen to a commando who tried to take over the government in the UK and USA. Hint hint hint - it's called treason!
@ sher .... well commando does not mean stupid he has to use brain also not only muscles ..... secondly if he would not have been resigned if had planned to killed her.... its unfortunate at one side democratic western world take lectures from him and here democratic people could not able to establish local government in this country ....... Mr Sher Afgan you better ask from courts to show some courage against any terrorist who never been penalised by any court in Pakistan lolz
@ehsanali: I meant to say that there is no "clear statement" about his involvement. They just said that the govt. was unable to protect her (as was the BB's govt to protect her own brother). How can I refer to page about something that does not exist?? Those who say that it is clearly mentioned, should provide this reference.
Yeah, what better could u expect from politically motivated judiciaries and there judges. Making a mockery of the nation by trying the president for the assassination of a election campaigner. with murderers accepting there charges, with all info available, still Musharraf the target, you could not find any proper case to go for, no corruption, no genocides, no nothing so go for something as absurd as this! How could a president be responsible for security of an election campaigner? But still she was adequately provided security and she was safe until she tried to act smart and came out of the sunroof. WOW how azaad judiciary we have. AND m shocked to see the what properties he has, chak shahzad farm for serving the army for almost half of century, and a Gwadar plot, that too in GWADAR housing scheme, no Swiss palace, no takht e Lahore, no Raiwind estates, this is what honesty is, what real leadership is!
Personally i think that the judiciary has to be revamped. If the PPP cannot bring the culprits to justice and lay the blame on Mushy then i highly doubt any sense will prevail. It is all but said and done who killed BB. Rehman Malik has said many times he knows who has killed her but he cannot disclose it, Zardari has pointed his finger everywhere but at Musharaf, and then that fateful letter offering the faithful husband as the party leader.
I mean are some of the commentators blind? Anyhow I am surprised they did this to Musharraf now, if it was all that it should have been done 2 years ago. Nothing will happen, sooner or later the one eyed cock who himself is on God knows how long a stay, will finally leave the bench and go retire. Its not just politicians even this fellow cant get enough of his seat. I would say kick him in the back and send him home to write a book or something for he has done nothing of use for the people of Pakistan. Free Loader
This act will also send a message LOUD and CLEAR to many politicians in India who think they are absolutely untouchable (for ex: Gandhi family).
Stop crying about Lal Masjid, nobdoy complain about the Maulvis who brainwash the kids and cause such a thing tio happen. They got what they deserved.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: Sure ZAB ordered the murder of his political opponent in arguably the greatest travesy of justice in our country and was hung by a cruel and insecure general who feared only for his own skin.
But he could not even save that.
Who else has been held to account?
My dear General Pervez Musharaf Commando! Please come back to Pakistan, we need commandos like you. We miss your action on the stage showing your muscles and that you are a commando and not afraid of anyone. Please come back and face the courts. What are you afraid of? Don't be a shame on the name of a commando. Come on show some courage!
@Usman: Please refer to the page of this report I will apereciate
Our Judiciary doesn`t care about mass murder by Musharraf in the Lal Masjid of children & women. Everyone knows Musharraf has run away from Pakistan and enjoying his booty in London. Why the fuss now?
The crimes against humanity have been committed by every single military dictator and civilian ruler who ruled Pakistan, after the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his colleagues who all created died one after another.
It is very strange that no military or civilian ruler have been indicted by any court of law in Pakistan, except in such cases where Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto ordered the murder of Kasuri and General (R) Pervez Musharraf is being accused of murdering Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto except the sitting President Asif Ali Zardari was exonerated in Mir Murtuza Bhutto’s murder case.
General (R) Musharraf during his tenure was not an angle. When ever he speak, he always said that he is coming to Pakistan on so and so date but has never tried to plead his case in person or through his legally constituted attorney.
I have never seen such amazing things happening in South East Asia as things happened in Pakistan. Right now the court has ordered to confiscate his property, but one never knows that by the time Gereral (R) Pervez Musharraf will come to Pakistan, all the cases pending against him would be withdrawn by saying that all cases in his absence were politically motivated and he will again become President of Pakistan.
But such things never happen with an ordinary man in Pakistan. In most of the cases, the common man is sent to the gallows, if he has committed similar heinous crimes
@Steven: He was not dictator The present government has plenty of dictators
@Rehan: You sure " the independent United Nations investigation report that clearly states that Musharraf was involved in planning the hit on BB."? Man, have a look at the UN report.
Rather than taking the necessary steps to extradite and put him on trial -- you take his property? Better than nothing but few would consider that justice.
@Ishtiaer Hussain: Yes indeed they are! So much for independant judiciary.
This is the level of lower judiciary. The person who provided a base and recognition to Pakistan in the wold is being treated like this. This is nothing but a simple case of political and victimization
The assets of the dictator should have been seized long ago. Only in Pakistan can a dictator get away with taking over a country illegaly and still be able to take part in politics. This would be unheard of anywhere else. Tell me if the Egyptions want to bring back Hosni Mubarak? Or do the Libyans want back Gaddafi? Or the Tunsians want back Ben Ali? All dictators should be brought to justice and there should be no excuse for looted property and wealth by dictators.
Well done PML-N backed judiciary! It seems that the judges are on the payroll of PML-N rather than the government of Pakistan.