RAWALPINDI, April 9: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday granted more time to the Federal Investigation Agency to execute warrant for Pervez Musharraf's arrest.
The hearing was put off till April 23 after FIA Director Wajid Zia, who heads a six-member joint investigation team, informed the court that the warrant had been handed over to the British authorities, but some time was needed for completion of the process.The former military ruler, who lives in London, has been accused of failing to provide adequate security to Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27, 2007 – the day she was killed in a gun-and-bomb attack in Rawalpindi.
The prosecution told the court that the British authorities had informed the Pakistani High Commission in London that the request for the arrest of Mr Musharraf was being considered for further action.
The court declined a request for a fresh warrant, observing that no fresh order could be issued as long as the earlier warrants were returned, served, or otherwise.
Earlier this week, the Lahore High Court granted bail to two police officers, Saud Aziz and Khurram Shahzad, who were accused of destroying evidence by getting the crime scene hosed down.
Sher Zaman, Aitzaz Shah, Hasnain Gul, Abdul Rasheed and Rafaqat Hussain are under custody for allegedly being part of the murder conspiracy.
Public prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali told AFP after the hearing: “The court asked the prosecution to expedite execution of arrest warrant for Pervez Musharraf for early completion of the trial.”
He said: “We produced before the court the government's correspondence with the British Home Office, including a copy of a letter saying the warrants are under process in Britain.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron said during his recent visit to Islamabad that Britain would “look into any warrant that is produced” but highlighted the absence of an extradition treaty between the two countries.
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