Pervez Musharraf may testify in Benazir murder, treason cases

Islamabad, March 4: Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf is expected to testify in two important cases – one relating to Benazir Bhutto’s murder and the other concerning high treason charge – in the coming weeks. He was implicated in former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s murder case in 2010 and high treason case in 2013, Dawn online reported on Friday.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Rawalpindi and the special court seized with the high treason case may summon Musharraf to defend himself and counter the evidence produced by prosecutors in the two cases. However, it is not clear whether the “ailing” former president will appear personally before the courts to get his statements recorded or testify through a video link.

Proceedings in the Benazir murder case commenced in 2008 and the trial is in its final stages as the prosecution is summoning its last few witnesses. The former military ruler was nominated as the sole accused in the high treason case in December 2013. In March 2014, he was indicted in the case by the special court comprising judges of three different high courts.

The prosecution in the case has presented all the evidence and produced its witnesses before the court. The last prosecution witness testified on Sept 18, 2014. Last year, the Islamabad High Court ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to re-investigate the case to ascertain role of facilitators in the imposition of emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.

The court seized with the high treason case will resume proceedings on March 8. (IANS)