Musharraf denied bail in BB murder trial

The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench on Wednesday dismissed the pre-arrest interim bail application of former president Pervez Musharraf in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.

A two-member division bench comprising Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmed and Justice Abdul Sami Khan, resumed hearing in the pre-arrest interim bail application filed by the former military ruler. The application requested for adjournment of hearing of the said petition.

The counsel pleaded that there were threats to life of Pervez Musharraf, an accused in the Benazir Bhutto murder case.

She told the court that the other day, police defused an explosives-laden car parked about 150 metres from Musharraf’s house in Islamabad and were investigating how the vehicle was able to get so close to his home.

Justice Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmed said, “Your client is already in judicial lockup, how can you argue the pre-arrest bail application, it’s better for you to take back the petition.”

The lawyer requested the court to grant her one hour’s time for discussing the matter with senior lawyers.

After the break, nobody appeared on behalf of the applicant. FIA prosecutor Chaudary Zulfiqar Ali had objected to the request, arguing that Musharraf was already under detention on judicial remand at his Chak Shehzad residence, which was declares as a sub-jail after the cancellation of his bail in the judge’s detention case.

At this, the court dismissed the pre-arrest interim bail of Musharraf and directed FIA to investigate into the case.

After the hearing FIA prosecutor Zulfiqar Ali said a trial court in Benazir Bhutto assassination case had already issued perpetual arrest warrants for Musharaf.

“The FIA will file an application before the Anti Terrorism Court of Islamabad who granted 14 days judicial remand of Pervez Musharraf for handing him over to FIA for further investigation of the case.”