Musharraf is under house arrest at
his residence in Chak Shahzad. PHOTO: AFP
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday extended judicial remand of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf by two weeks to allow Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials to investigate the murder of former premier Benazir Bhutto.
ATC-1 Special Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rahman adjourned the case till May 28 after Musharraf’s counsel Barrister Salman Safdar failed to appear before the court. The lawyer is out of the country.
FIA Prosecutor Chaudhry Muhammad Azhar complained of delays in processing of the case, upon which the judge asked the agency to shift the case to another court if it had any objection.
Talking to reporters, Azhar said the court put off hearing Musharraf’s bail application until May 20. Musharraf is under house arrest at
his residence in Chak Shahzad.
This was the first hearing after lead FIA prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali who was prosecuting sensitive cases like BB’s assassination, Mumbai attacks and Hajj corruption was gunned down in Islamabad on May 3.
The FIA investigation team held Musharraf responsible for the murder, contending that not only was he aware of the assassination plan, but he also “aided and abetted” the terrorists who carried it out. Musharraf is accused of deliberately denying VVIP security to Benazir, despite repeated requests.
The retired general is also facing cases over the sacking of judges when he imposed emergency rule in 2007 and the death of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti during an operation in 2006.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2013.
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