Former president Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: AFP
An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi put Musharraf on 14-day judicial remand over the death of the former prime minister, who was assassinated in a gun and bomb attack in 2007.
The retired general was already under a two-week house arrest order set to expire on May 4, over the sacking of judges when he imposed emergency rule in November 2007, and did not appear in court in person.
"The court granted a 14-day judicial remand and ordered that Musharraf be kept in a judicial lock-up until May 14," prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar told AFP.
The order was made to give investigators time to work on the case and the regular hearing is due to begin on May 3.
Musharraf is accused of conspiracy to murder two-time prime minister Bhutto, whose Pakistan People's Party (PPP) came to power in February 2008 on a wave of sympathy over her death.
It is the second of three cases, dating back to his 1999-2008 rule, for which Musharraf has been arrested since returning to Pakistan on March 24 after four years of self-imposed exile.
Musharraf is being held at his palatial house on the edge of Islamabad where his party complained that he has been confined to two rooms and stripped of his personal staff.
He also has been threatened with death by the Taliban.
Musharraf returned to Pakistan last month to stand in the May 11 general election, vowing to "save" the country from militancy and economic collapse but he was barred from running and will now spend polling day in his Islamabad villa, which has been designated as a jail.
Nobody has ever been convicted or jailed for Bhutto's assassination. Musharraf's government blamed the killing on Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, who denied any involvement and was killed in a US drone attack in 2009.
But Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is PPP chairman, has accused Musharraf of her murder.
In 2010 a UN report said Bhutto's death could have been prevented and accused Musharraf's government of failing to give her adequate protection.
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@qrfaheem: The real decision was made by the PM and the Cabinet not Musharraf. He just forwarded it to go to the judicial council. That probably was a mistake. But we all make mistakes. It is not a deliberate badmashi as our other politicians do.
Vendetta continues. Musharraf is victimised for his coveted Army Post that he held with pride and dignity.
This is the most stupid defense ever, sounds like a soap opera, like the saying goes, if the facts are on your side argue the facts, if the law is on your side argue the law, if nothing is there just make up junk, just like Mush attorneys, there is no law that says that all wrongs have to be righted, rather, the last one is to be punished as a deterrence, puninshing all the older ones does nothing.
Sinking or purifying??
Its time to settle the scores with dictator...Now only chance left with him is to escape..Otherwise he would be in hot waters.. Time for constitution to be followed.. He was hero till May 2007. After that a blunder of mistakes had led to his ouster. He has to pay & should pay for his wrongdoings.
Judiciary has completely failed to extend justice to people. They are merely busy in political cases. There is no involvement of Musharraf in this case. Instead of its revenge judiciary must focus on providing justice to common people through improvements in lower courts which are already in a disastrous shape.
Guy's because of the Media. Media has no courage to say even a single word against CJP sahab
@Mohammad:
Bother CJ is acting like Marschal law admisintrator....
Dictator be sent to jail instead of keeping him in his palace. At the time of asssasination of BB he uttered that it was an ordinary case of murder. Now he is an ordinary criminal charged withnumerous murders, kargil fiasco, sedition acts etc.
I am so annoyed that during the World Judicial Conference, no one asked CJ about releasing the terrorists and convicting the innocents. World didn't ask CJ about the pending cases against him and his family..
What Musharraf has to do with BB since she herself came out of the bullet/bomb proof car. Musharraf supported her with full security but whatever happened was her own mistake. Her personal security and her own people in the surrounding should be held responsible.