RAWALPINDI: During Monday’s hearing of the Benazir Bhutto murder case, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi categorically ordered the authorities to produce former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, the main accused in the case, on July 9 before it as it adjourned the matter to the said date, DawnNews reported.

The ATC was hearing the case pertaining to the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

One of the accused persons in the murder, Aitraaz Shah’s application requesting bail was presented in the court, which was accepted for today's hearing.

Federal Investigative Agency’s (FIA) special prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar Ali, despite being summoned by the court, was not present at the hearing. Prison officials informed the ATC that the prosecutor’s absence was due to a lack of adequate security.

Meanwhile, a police report was submitted in the court which said that Musharraf could not be present at the hearing due to inept security arrangements. Musharraf’s lawyer added that the former military ruler had sought exemption from attendance on account of security concerns.

The ATC ordered the former president to be present at the coming hearing of the case on July 9. It also asked the FIA and police to submit all the previous records pertaining to the case.

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a gun-and-bomb attack outside Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007. She was killed after addressing an election campaign rally in the city.