Benazir assassination case: Court outraged over Musharraf absence

The court said that presence of the charged is necessary for the case to proceed.

RAWALPINDI: The Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) expressed its outrage at the non-presence of former President Pervez Musharraf at the Benazir Bhutto assassination case hearing on Tuesday, and stated that if Musharraf was not presented at the next hearing, the hearing would take place at Rawalpindi Central Jail, Express News reported.

Musharraf’s lawyers stated that he could not have been presented at the hearing due to security concerns, at which ATC judge Rehman expressed outrage and said that the charged had to be present so that the case could proceed.

Rehman reprimanded SSP Operations and other police officials present at the hearing for not being able to provide Musharraf with the necessary security, at which the SSP said that Musharraf would surely be presented at the next hearing.

The court said that Musharraf either be presented at the next hearing or be moved to the central jail after this final chance, so that it could carry on with its proceedings there.

In a petition by Musharraf for the recovery of his assets, the court has sought an answer from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and adjourned the case hearing till July 30.