Pakistani court orders confiscation of Musharraf’s assets
August 28th, 2011 - 6:56 am ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Aug 28 (IANS) An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan Saturday ordered confiscation of property of former president Pervez Musharraf for his failure to appear before the court in the 2007 murder case of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, court officials said.
The court has already declared Pervez Musharraf as an “absconder” in the assassination case of Benazir Bhutto as he has not agreed to clarify his position in court despite several notices, Xinhua reported.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had requested the court to summon Pervez Musharraf, who was president at the time of Bhutto’s assassination, but he refused a request to cooperate in the probe into her death.
Following the lack of cooperation by Musharraf, he was named as an “absconding accused”, FIA prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar said.
The FIA Saturday presented a final report in the court about Musharraf’s refusal to appear and the court issued orders to confiscate his property. Media reports said that the court has also ordered to freeze Musharraf’s bank accounts.
The court ruled that Musharraf’s trial will be held separately from other accused after his arrest.
The anti-terrorism court is conducting the trial of five terror suspects, including alleged members of Tehrik-e- Taliban Pakistan, who have been charged with planning and facilitating the assassination.
Bhutto was killed in a suicide bomb attack shortly after she addressed an election rally in Rawalpindi Dec 27, 2007.
The chargesheet further said that then Rawalpindi police chief Saud Aziz and then superintendent of police Khurram Shahzad, who were arrested this year by FIA on charges of negligence in providing security to Bhutto, were acting on the orders of Musharraf. Both former police officers were bailed out and are now being tried in the case.
FIA’s charge against Musharraf is one of a long list of legal and criminal cases against the former president who resigned in August 2008 and it could cause problems for his planned return to Pakistani politics.
Musharraf, who has been living in self-exile in Britain since April 2009, said that he planned to return to Pakistan before the next general election in 2013.
He has also formed a new party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, with an eye to the next polls.
- FIA sends Musharraf's arrest warrant to Pak High Commission in London - Mar 07, 2011
- Musharraf to be arrested on return to Pakistan - Jan 07, 2012
- Arrest warrant against Musharraf reissued in Benazir case - Jun 11, 2011
- Musharraf warrant valid till compliance: Pakistan to Interpol - May 21, 2012
- Bhutto murder: New arrest warrant against Musharraf - Feb 19, 2011
- Musharraf named as accused in Bhutto's assassination case - Feb 07, 2011
- FIA asks Pak court to declare Musharraf 'absconder' in Benazir murder case - Apr 24, 2011
- Judge rejects list of Musharraf's properties - Jul 10, 2011
- Danger for Musharraf if proceedings commenced against him in Benazir murder case - Feb 11, 2011
- Pak Govt to tap Interpol for Musharraf's return in BB murder case if court directs so - Feb 13, 2011
- Anti-Terrorism Court issues arrest warrant for Musharraf in Benazir murder case - Feb 12, 2011
- Pakistan court issues arrest warrant for Musharraf - Feb 13, 2011
- Arrest warrant issued against Musharraf - Feb 12, 2011
- Musharraf's status can't be changed 'from accused to witness' in Benazir murder case - Feb 27, 2011
- Musharraf's interview presented in court in connection with Benazir assassination case - Apr 23, 2011
Tags: absconder, absconding, benazir bhutto, chaudhry, confiscation, court officials, election rally, federal investigation, fia, investigation agency, khurram, murder case, pervez musharraf, president pervez musharraf, rawalpindi, saud, shahzad, suicide bomb attack, xinhua, zulfiqar