Former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, who is already facing treason case in the Supreme Court, has also been nominated as the main accused in Benazir Bhutto murder case, as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday submitted a final chalan in the case before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), Rawalpindi.
FIA, which probed the murder case of twice-elected prime minister, submitted challan of the case in ATC Rawalpindi, in which probing agency listed former military ruler as the main accused, accusing him of hatching conspiracy against Benazir Bhutto that led her killing.
Following the submission of challan, ATC Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman directed FIA to produce the accused before the court on the next date of hearing due on July 2, for starting indictment process.
During the hearing, FIA’s investigators submitted a four-page, final challan of the case.
The challan also carried statement of Pervez Musharraf. In his statement, the former president said he did not entertain a request of Benazir Bhutto for providing security, as being president, he was not responsible to look after security-related issues, rather it was the domain of the Interior Ministry.
However, contrary to Musharraf’s claim, then interior secretary Kamal Shah, said in his statement to the FIA that he requested president Musharraf for providing security cover to Benazir Bhutto, but the president did not pass any direction in that regard.
He said he forwarded a request to President Musharraf for providing security to three former prime ministers, including Benazir Bhutto, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Shoukat Aziz. To this, Musharraf gave approval for providing security to Shujaat and Shoukat Aziz, but did not respond to the request regarding BB’s security.
In the challan sheet, FIA’s investigators mentioned that Muhsarraf could not give any satisfactory answers when he was questioned about his meeting with Benazir in Dubai, in which he reportedly told her that her security was linked with her relationship with him.
In the charge sheet, FIA accused the former president of hatching conspiracy against Benazir, which led to her killing.
Besides having Musharraf and Kamal Shah’s statement, the four-page report also carries account of four witnesses, including two American journalists, and Benazir Bhutto’s own statement.
Earlier, the FIA submitted six interim challans, but it was the first time it submitted a challan that carried Musharraf’s statement.
Later, the court adjourned hearing and fixed the matter for July 2, 2013.