RAWALPINDI, May 2: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) allowed the Balochistan police on Thursday to interrogate retired General Pervez Musharraf over the murder of Baloch nationalist leader, Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The Balochistan police had sought permission of ATC Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman to arrest Gen Musharraf because he had been declared a proclaimed offender in the case last year.

On April 26, the same court had turned down the request of the crimes branch, Quetta, because at that time Gen Musharraf was in four-day custody of the Federal Investigation Agency in connection with the Benazir Bhutto murder case.

According to an official of the Quetta’s crimes branch, Gen Musharraf would be quizzed in his Chak Shahzad farmhouse, which has been declared a sub-jail, for security reasons.

Akbar Bugti was killed in a cave on August 26, 2006 during a military crackdown ordered by Gen Musharraf.

On July 11 last year, an ATC in Sibi had issued arrest warrants of Gen Musharraf and several other accused.

According to an FIR registered under Sections 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, former Balochistan governor Owais Ghani, former chief minister Jam Yousuf and former home minister Shoaib Nosherwani and former deputy commissioner Abdul Samad Lasi are other accused in the case.

AFP adds: Officials said police questioned the former military ruler on Thursday over the 2006 death of Akbar Bugti.

“A three-member team of Balochistan comprising senior police officials is investigating general Musharraf,” prosecutor Hassan Kakar told AFP.

They would also record his statement in the case, he said.