ATC judge allows FIA to question former dictator in murder case of former prime minister.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday formally arrested Pervez Musharraf in the Benazir Bhutto murder case after an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) allowed the FIA to include the former dictator in the investigation of the Benazir case.
Musharraf will remain at his Chak Shahzad farmhouse residence but will be produced at the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Anti-Terrorism Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman took up an application filed by Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali, special public prosecutor, in which he requested the court that after dismissal of Musharraf’s bail application the FIA should be allowed to investigate the former president.
“The trial court already issued perpetual arrest warrants of the accused so in order to complete challan against Musharraf, his statement is required,” he added.
Musharraf’s counsel Afshan Adil objected to the application saying, “It is a case of murder of a former prime minister which is registered with the City Police Station of Rawalpindi. Police can prosecute the case.”
After hearing the arguments, the special court accepted the FIA application and directed them to investigate Musharraf in the assassination case.
It was also observed in the judgement that due to security concerns, Musharraf should not be moved out of the sub-jail and his statement could be recorded inside the premises of his farmhouse.
Musharraf is accused of involvement in a conspiracy to murder Benazir Bhutto, who died in a gun and suicide attack in December 2007.