File photo of former Pakistani president and military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf will be charged on August 6 with criminal conspiracy and murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, even though his bail application in the Akbar Bugti murder case was rejected on Tuesday.
General Musharraf appeared before an anti-terrorism court headed by Judge Habibur Rahman in Rawalpindi amid tight security for a hearing on Tuesday in the Bhutto assassination case.
Mr Rehman has set August 6 as the date for formal charges against the 69-year-old former president.
His prosecution would be an unprecedented step in a country that has been ruled by the military for more than half its life.
A Rawalpindi court is hearing the murder case of Ms Bhutto, a two-time prime minister.
Ms Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack near Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007, when General Musharraf was president. The attack occurred after she spoke at an election rally in the city.
State prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar Ali told the media that “Musharraf will be questioned at the next hearing on August 6.
Charges of criminal conspiracy and murder will be read before “General Musharraf and he have to sign the report,” he said.
Mr. Rehman ordered the police to have the accused present in court to sign the charge sheet and answer the charges.
General Musharraf failed to appear in court at the last two hearings due to security concerns, prompting the judge to reprimand the police and order them to produce the accused or arrange a trial in prison.
On Tuesday, the judge also restored General Musharraf’s frozen bank accounts and assets.
The president’s former lawyer, Ilyas Siddiqui, made a request for reinstatement.
Published – Jul 30, 2013 05:32 pm EST.