- Former president accused of murder, criminal conspiracy to murder, facilitating murder and not providing required security to former prime minister
In an unprecedented move, the Rawalpindi Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday charged ex-military chief and former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf for abetting the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
The frmer military chief, who ruled the country for nearly a decade at the strength of his uniform, has been indicted in the high-profile murder case besides six other accused.
He was accused of murder, criminal conspiracy to murder, facilitating the murders and not providing required security to former prime minister that led to her assassination.
However, the four-star retired general denied all 11 charges mentioned in the eight-page charge sheet.
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a bomb-and-gun attack at a pubic rally on 27 December, 2007 in Rawalpindi.
Besides Pervez Musharraf, four alleged militants and two police officers were also charge sheeted.
Former police officers, then Rawalpindi CPO Saud Aziz and Rawal Town SP Khuram Shehzad, were also present in the court when they were indicted.
Amid tight security, police produced the accused before ATC Judge Haji Habibur Rehman. In security cover of Rangers, intelligence agencies men and police commandos, Musharraf was presented in the court.
Chaudhry Azhar advocate, FIA special prosecutor, represented the state in the court, while Musharraf’s was accompanying his lawyers’ team led by Ilyas Siddiqui.
“There is no strong evidence against us, the case is politically motivated. We will follow legal course. Musharraf’s lovers should not be afraid over this development,” said Syeda Afsha Adil, one of Musharraf’s legal advisers.
Talking to reporters outside the court building, she said indictment did not mean that Musharraf had been declared a killer. “Now the real trial of the case will start and we will follow legal procedure,” she added.
After the refusal of Musharraf to accept the charges, the court invited witnesses for recording statement and adjourned the hearing for August 27.
Earlier, a UN inquiry team in its probe held Musharraf responsible for not providing required security to Benazir that led to her killing.
During the hearing on Tuesday, FIA prosecutor also said that despite requests, president Musharraf did not provide security to Benazir, for which she was entitled as a former prime minister.
On the other hand, Musharraf had provided full security to former prime ministers Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Shoukat Aziz.
Meanwhile, the same court also accepted Musharraf’s plea for giving him exemption from appearing before the court. In his application, the former military chief had requested that due to security threats, he could not appear before the court for hearings, so he be given exemption.
Talking to reporters after the hearing, public prosecutor said he (Musharraf) should be tried.
If convicted, Musharraf can face a maximum sentence of death or life imprisonment, a prosecution lawyer said.