(20 Aug 2013) A Pakistani court on Tuesday indicted former president and army chief Pervez Musharraf on murder charges in connection with the 2007 assassination of iconic former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
The indictment deepens the fall of a once-powerful figure who returned to the country this year in an effort to take part in elections.
The decision by a court in Rawalpindi marks the first time Musharraf, or any former army chief in Pakistan, has been charged with a crime.
Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 coup and stepped down from office in disgrace nearly a decade later, now faces a litany of legal problems that have in many ways broken taboos on the inviolability of the once-sacrosanct military in Pakistani society.
The prosecutor said he has been charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and facilitation for murder.
The former army commando appeared in person during the brief morning hearing, and pleaded not guilty, said Afsha Adil, a member of Musharraf's legal team.
Adil was adamant that there was not sufficient evidence to convict Musharraf.
"These are all fabricated cases. There is nothing solid in all these cases, even Benazir murder case," she told reporters outside court.
Bhutto was killed in 2007 during a gun and bomb attack at a rally in the city of Rawalpindi, the sister city to the capital of Islamabad.
Prosecutors have said Musharraf, who was president at the time, failed to properly protect her.
The judge set August 27 as the next court date to present evidence.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
