This Article is From May 14, 2013

Pakistan court extends Pervez Musharraf's remand in Benazir Bhutto assassination case

Pakistan court extends Pervez Musharraf's remand in Benazir Bhutto assassination case
Rawalpindi: A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Tuesday extended former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's house arrest over the assassination former PM of Benazir Bhutto for 14 days, a prosecutor said.

The court in the garrison town of Rawalpindi neighbouring Islamabad also put off hearing a bail application by General Musharraf until May 20, Chaudhry Azhar told AFP.

He said, "The court extended General Musharraf's judicial remand until May 28 when it hears the case again," adding that the adjournment came after General Musharraf's lawyer Salman Safdar could not attend the hearing.

This was the first hearing after the main state prosecutor handling Mrs Bhutto's 2007 assassination and the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali, was shot dead in Islamabad en route to court on May 3.

General Musharraf is accused of conspiracy to murder two-time PM Bhutto, whose Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was elected into power in February 2008 on a wave of sympathy over her death.

General Musharraf's government blamed the killing on Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, who denied any involvement and was killed in a US drone attack in 2009.

General Musharraf returned from exile in March to stand in the May 11 general election, vowing to "save" the country from militancy and economic collapse but he was barred from running over charges dating back to his 1999-2008 rule.

The retired general also faces legal cases over the sacking of judges when he imposed emergency rule in 2007, and the 2006 death of a Baluch rebel leader.

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