Pakistan’s former military leader Pervez Musharraf is indicted for the murder of ex prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007.
Ms Bhutto was killed in a suicide gun and bomb attack in December 2007 after a campaign rally in the city of Rawalpindi, weeks after she returned to Pakistan from years in self-imposed exile.
Mr Musharraf was charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and facilitation of murder in a landmark move by the judiciary, which has previously been reluctant to bring any cases against Pakistan’s military leaders.
If Mr Musharraf, 69, is sent to prison, it would be the first time an army chief has been put behind bars in the country’s 65-year history.
A UN commission of inquiry into the killing said in 2010 that Pakistan failed to properly protect Ms Bhutto or investigate how she died. At the time, the government blamed Pakistani Taliban militants and Mr Musharraf had said he warned her of the danger she faced.
“He should be tried,” said the the public prosecutor, Mohammad Azhar, after a brief hearing this morning. Reporters were not allowed into the court hearing.
(How Channel 4 News exclusively reported on the assassination of Benazir Bhutto with new footage acquired in January 2008, days after the killing).
Mr Musharraf made no public remarks during his 20-minute court appearance and denied all the charges against him, said a lawyer from his defence team. His lawyers have asked the court to exempt Mr Musharraf from having to appear for the hearings in person due to security threats.
Mr Musharraf’s lawyer Afshan Adil said: “All the cases against Musharraf are fabricated. He denied all the charges”. His next hearing was set for 27 August.
“All the cases against Musharraf are fabricated” – Mr Musharraf’s lawyer, Afshan Adil.
Hundreds of police were present along the main road leading to the court as Mr Musharraf’s car arrived. A previous hearing scheduled for 6 August was delayed due to threats to Mr Musharraf’s life and the Pakistani Taliban have threatened to kill him several times.
Mr Musharraf returned to Pakistan this year after four years of self-imposed exile in the hope of contesting parliamentary elections.
Instead of triggering a hoped-for groundswell of popular support, Mr Musharraf became the first former army chief to be arrested in Pakistan when police took him into custody at their headquarters on Friday. He was instead disqualified and became the subject of several court cases relating to his 10-year rule.