Bhutto murder: Musharraf declared fugitive, two officers jailed
1 Sept 2017 8:57 AM IST
Islamabad: Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf was on Thursday declared a fugitive by an anti-terrorism court which ordered the seizure of his property and sentenced two senior police officers to 17 years in jail in the Benazir Bhutto murder case, nearly 10 years after her assassination.
Bhutto, the Pakistan Peoples Party chief and a two-time prime minister, was killed along with more than 20 people in a gun and bomb attack in Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh during an election campaign rally on December 27, 2007. She was 54.
The case was registered soon after her assassination and the trial went through many ups and down until it concluded on Wednesday in Rawalpindi.
Judge Asghar Khan announced the verdict, declaring Musharraf a proclaimed offender and ordered the seizure of his property.
Musharraf, 74, has been living in Dubai since last year when he was allowed to leave Pakistan on the pretext of medical treatment.
The judge sentenced former Rawalpindi CPO Saud Aziz and former Rawal Town SP Khurram Shahzad suspects out on bail to 17 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh each.
Both police officers - who were present in the court, have been arrested from Adiala Jail.
Five Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) suspects have been acquitted over lack of evidence.
The suspects - Rafaqat Hussain, Husnain Gul, Sher Zaman, Aitzaz Shah and Abdul Rashid - were arrested soon after the crime and have been in jail. They had denied the charges.
All accused were present at the time of the announcement of the trial except Musharraf.
The trial of five suspects started in January 2008, while Musharraf, Aziz and Shahezad were implicated in 2009 after a fresh probe by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
"10 years later and we still await justice. Abettors punished but those truly guilty of my mother's murder roam free," Bhutto's daughter Aseefa Bhutto Zardari tweeted soon after the verdict was announced.
"There will be no justice till Pervez Musharraf answers for his crimes," she tweeted.
Bhutto's another daughter Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari tweeted, "Musharraf ordered crime scene washed & doors locked trapping SMBB vehicle inside #ArrestMusharraf."
Next Story
