ISLAMABAD – The government on Saturday explored various options to bring former president Pervez Musharraf back to Pakistan in case he did not appear before the Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court on February 19 for his alleged involvement in Benazir Bhutto’s murder. Interior Minister Rehman Malik chaired a high-level meeting at the FIA headquarters attended by the investigation team probing the murder and senior FIA officials.
A source in the FIA told Pakistan Today that the meeting discussed in detail the development in the investigation into the murder case besides discussing various options that might lead to the inclusion of Musharraf in the investigation process. The source said the meeting also discussed the option of once again sending a questionnaire to the former president to know his side of the story pertaining to the murder as, according to the Musharraf camp, he did not receive the questionnaire sent earlier.
The meeting also decided in principle to approach the Interpol in case Musharraf did not appear before the court, however, all other available options would be exhausted before making such move, the source said. Talking to reporters after the meeting, the interior minister said Raymond Davis’ file had not been tampered with, adding that it would be presented only on the request of the court.
Malik said the federal government was in touch with the Punjab government on the issue. A company of rangers had been deployed for Davis’ security on the request of the provincial government, he added. The minister said the US citizen’s name had been put on the exit-control list on the orders of the Lahore High Court.
To a question, he made it clear that foreign diplomats were not allowed to carry weapons in any part of Pakistan.
