Former Prime Minister Of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, Assassinated

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Musharraf enjoys life of luxury in detention
Pakistan's former leader may be under house arrest, but he writes his memoirs, works out and eats meals cooked by his personal chef

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/articl...xury-detention

At the end of a quiet lane snaking through the well-heeled Islamabad suburb of Chak Shahzad, a terracotta-coloured house modelled on a Moroccan courtyard home stands amid spreading orchards and wheat fields.

It would be a restful, bucolic scene, were it not for the 300 policemen, paramilitaries, soldiers, snipers and anti-terrorist officers on hand to guard the owner, Pervez Musharraf, former leader of Pakistan.

The one-time military strongman is under house arrest but enjoying detention deluxe: writing his memoirs, working out each day and eating meals cooked by his personal chef.

The former general, who ruled from 1999 to 2008 after deposing an elected government in a bloodless coup, returned to Pakistan in March after years of self-imposed exile in London.

He returned vowing to stand in the general election and "save" Pakistan, but his arrival restarted a barrage of legal cases related to his time in power, including murder charges over the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007.

The Chak Shahzad house was declared a "sub-jail" by a court in April, and he has lived there in detention ever since, as the cases against him grind through Pakistan's slow-moving judicial system.

As the man who allied his country with Washington in its "war on terror" after the 9/11 attacks, Musharraf is in danger from Islamist militants who have vowed to kill him.

The house he commissioned back in 2006, at the height of his power, was still under construction when he was forced from power and into exile. It is now both his prison and his refuge.

"The house was 95 per cent finished before he left, but the first time he spent a night in the house was after he came back this year," said Hammad Husain, the architect.

Aides say Musharraf, 70, is keeping his body in shape with 75-minute workouts every morning and his mind sharp with reading and writing.

"He is writing a second book. I have seen the text. He has written substantially but there is still work to be done," his official spokesman, Raza Bokhari, said.

The new volume will follow on from his first book of memoirs published in 2006, In the Line of Fire.

"It is picking up from 2007 onwards, from the peak of his popularity to his downfall, to life in self-imposed exile and then formation of a political party and return to Pakistan," Bokhari said.

Despite the rigorous security, provided under the auspices of the tough Adyala prison in Rawalpindi, Musharraf still fears his enemies will try to get to him.

"His food is not prepared in prison but on the premises, by his cook, for security reasons. He is afraid of being poisoned," a prison source said.

He keeps a close eye on his legal tussles, accusations his entourage dismiss as politically motivated, "false, fabricated and fictitious".

In Pakistan, court cases can drag on interminably, but charges can also be dropped overnight when an agreement emerges to let the accused leave the country.

There have been rumours for months of a possible deal to let Musharraf go back into exile, to avoid a clash between the government and the all-powerful army, which is keen to avoid seeing one of its own tried by civilians.

His team admit the cases against him could last years, but insist the old soldier is in top form to "fight another fight he has to fight".

"He is in very good spirits. He's a strong person," said an aide.

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Musharraf granted bail in Bugti murder case

http://dawn.com/news/1048525/musharr...ti-murder-case

2013-10-09 13:43:25

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to former president Pervez Musharraf over the death of Baloch rebel leader Akbar Bugti, bringing closer the former dictator’s possible release after nearly six months of house arrest.

Musharraf has now been granted bail in three major cases against him, including one relating to the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

His lawyer said the ruling meant he was a “free man”. But he is likely to remain under heavy guard at his villa on the edge of Islamabad, where he has been under house arrest since April, because of serious threats to his life.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, heard Musharraf's appeal against the Balochistan High Court’s rejection of his bail application in the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case.

The bench observed that substantial evidence was not available to involve Musharraf in the criminal conspiracy regarding Bugti’s murder and granted bail to the former president.

His lawyer Ibrahim Satti said the three-member bench had granted bail in the Bugti case in return for surety bonds worth two million rupees.

Though the court had summoned Jamil Bugti, a son of Nawab Akbar Bugti, who is a complainant in the case, he remained absent from today’s hearing.

Musharraf ‘a free man’
“Pervez Musharraf is a free man now after getting bail in the Bugti case,” said Qamar Afzal, another counsel for the former president.

As well as the Bugti and Bhutto cases, Musharraf also faces cases over the suspension of judges during emergency rule, which he imposed in 2007.

The Taliban have threatened to kill the 70-year-old former general, who as president allied Pakistan with Washington in the US “war on terror” in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Security remained tight at Musharraf's villa, an AFP reporter at the scene said, with no sign of any preparations for departure.

Musharraf's spokesman Raza Bokhari said the general was “gratified” by the bail ruling but determined to clear his name of charges which he has always maintained were politically motivated.

“After all these formalities are finalised he would be free to travel within and outside Pakistan, but this is just the beginning. These court cases are a long-run process,” said Bokhari.

“He will continue to fight these cases until his name is clear of these false, fabricated and fictitious charges.”

‘No decision to leave Pakistan’
The secretary-general of Musharraf's political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League, said he expected “progress” on Thursday after the bonds are paid but denied Musharraf planned to leave Pakistan.

“There has been no deal with the government, nor has Musharraf taken any decision to immediately leave the country,” Muhammad Amjad told reporters.

Musharraf returned to Pakistan in March to run in the general election, vowing to “save” the country from economic collapse and militancy.

But he was barred from contesting the election, won convincingly by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif – the man he ousted from power in 1999 – and was hit with a barrage of criminal cases dating back to his rule.

He has been living in part of his 1,100 square metre house, declared a “sub-jail” under the auspices of the Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, where he is guarded by some 300 police, paramilitaries and marksmen.

Reports have claimed he is enjoying a comfortable life in detention. He has even had the services of his personal cook because of his fears of being poisoned.

Since Sharif won the election there have been repeated rumours that a deal would be reached to allow Musharraf to leave Pakistan before his trials were completed.

Musharraf spokesman Bokhari insisted no such arrangement had been cooked up.

One theory was that Musharraf might be allowed to visit his sick elderly mother in Dubai on compassionate grounds, but APML spokesman Amjad rejected the idea.

“Musharraf's mother has been quite unwell for quite some time but he has not reached any deal nor has he made any request to leave the country to see his mother,” Amjad said.

Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was killed in August 2006 in an explosion in a cave where he had taken refuge during a military crackdown ordered by Musharraf who was president and army chief at the time.

Bugti had led an armed campaign to press for provincial autonomy and a greater share of profits from Balochistan’s natural resources.

The death of the Baloch chieftain sparked angry protests in parts of the country.

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Musharraf rearrested over Lal Masjid operation

http://www.dawn.com/news/1048796/mus...sjid-operation

Published 2013-10-10 20:09:59

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was rearrested in Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) killing case hours after submitting surety bonds in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

The rearrest came after he had been granted bail in three other cases and his lawyer said on Wednesday he was cleared to leave the country.

Assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, death of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti and detention of deposed Supreme Court judges were the other three major cases registered against the former military strongman.

“We have put General Musharraf under house arrest in a case involving a military operation on an Islamabad mosque,” Muhammad Rizwan, a senior official of the Islamabad police told reporters.

“We will present him before a court on Friday,” Rizwan added, after visiting Musharraf's plush villa at the edge of Islamabad, which has been declared a sub jail.

A complaint against Musharraf in the Lal Masjid case was registered last month on the orders of a judge.

On Wednesday, Musharraf was granted bail in the case of the death of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti after the apex court granted his appeal against rejection of a similar plea by the Balochistan High Court.

The apex court had asked the former army strongman to submit two surety bonds of Rs 1 million each to the Supreme Court Registrar.

A spokesman of Musharraf’s All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party confirmed the arrest saying they will now apply for bail in the latest case.

“Yes, Police have officially arrested General Musharraf and put him under house arrest. We will file his bail application soon,” Muhammad Amjad, secretary general of the APML told AFP.

The Lal Masjid operation was a 2007 government crackdown on the controversial pro-Taliban mosque in Islamabad, which ended in a bloody eight-day siege killing at least 58 Pakistani troops and seminary students.

The operation followed a week-long standoff between the mosque's supporters and security forces.

A number of witnesses in their statements had alleged that Musharraf, then president of Pakistan, was responsible for the action.

Musharraf was forced out of office after trying and failing to fire the country's chief justice. The former president and head of the army went into exile in 2008 but returned earlier this year in an abortive attempt to launch a political career – Reuters/AFP/Dawn.com

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Probe against Musharraf to be completed in six weeks: FIA

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-New...-six-weeks-FIA

Sunday, October 20, 2013
From Print Edition

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday said it would complete a probe into the 2007 emergency imposed by former President Pervez Musharraf in six weeks.

FIA Director-General Saud Mirza said the statements of some bureaucrats had been recorded as part of the probe. The investigation will be completed within six weeks, he said.

Mirza said the probe was launched on the directives of the interior minister and Musharraf’s statement would soon be recorded.

Though the government ordered the inquiry in June, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on October 12 that he had asked the FIA to fast-track the case of high treason against Musharraf and to take the matter to a logical conclusion in six weeks.

The case was registered against Musharraf for subverting the Constitution by imposing an emergency in November 2007. The emergency lasted until December 15 of the same year.

In July 2009, the Supreme Court ruled that the military strongman’s decision to impose emergency was unconstitutional and illegal.

Musharraf is currently seeking bail in a case over the killing of cleric Abdul Rashid Ghazi during a military crackdown on the Lal Masjid in 2007.

He has already been granted bail in three other key cases, including one related to the 2007 emergency and another over the killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

He has been under arrest for nearly six months at his farmhouse on the outskirts of Islamabad, guarded by nearly 300 security personnel, including soldiers and snipers.

He took power in a 1999 coup and ruled as president until he resigned when he was threatened with impeachment in 2008.

He then went into self-imposed exile and returned to Pakistan in March to resurrect his political career. His party says that as and when Musharraf gets bail in all the cases, he will remain in Pakistan and fight the cases.

However, many say he could fly out of the country.

The Interior Ministry recently confirmed that Musharraf was included in the Exit Control List, which has the names of people barred from travelling out of Pakistan.

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Pakistan's Musharraf granted bail in last legal case against him

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/196...e-against-him/

November 4, 2013, 11:34 pm

Islamabad (AFP) - A Pakistan court on Monday granted bail to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf over a deadly raid on a radical mosque, bringing closer his possible release after more than six months of house arrest.

The ruling by an Islamabad district court means the ex-general is on bail in all the cases brought against him since his return to Pakistan from self-imposed exile, including one relating to the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

But the 70-year-old is likely to remain under heavy guard at his villa on the edge of Islamabad, where he has been under house arrest since April, because of serious threats to his life.

Judge Wajid Ali approved bail on condition Musharraf pays bonds totalling 200,000 rupees ($2,000). The trial is due to start on November 11.

Defence lawyer Afshan Adil told AFP the money would be paid on Tuesday, but rejected rumours that have circulated in recent months that Musharraf would try to leave Pakistan.

"He is not going abroad and will stay in the country," she said.

Musharraf's name is currently on the interior ministry's "exit control list", meaning he cannot leave Pakistan without the approval of the government.

Musharraf was arrested last month over the 2007 raid on the Red Mosque in Islamabad, just a day after he was given bail in the last of three major cases against him dating back to his 1999-2008 rule.

The order to the army to storm the Red Mosque, where armed radicals had holed up just a stone's throw from the parliament building, took Musharraf to the top of the Taliban hit list.

The operation left more than 100 people dead and unleashed a wave of Islamist violence that rocks Pakistan to this day.

Tariq Asad, a lawyer for the Red Mosque, condemned the bail ruling and said an appeal would be launched in the high court.

Musharraf's aides have said the charges against him are trumped up and politically motivated and his official spokesman welcomed Monday's ruling.

"We are confident that eventually domestic and international push-back will compel Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to cease in his tracks and the allegations filed against former president Musharraf in the Red Mosque matter will be withdrawn," Raza Bokhari said in a statement.

Former commando Musharraf returned to Pakistan in March to run in the May general election, vowing to "save" the country from economic collapse and militancy.

But he was barred from standing in the election, won convincingly by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif -- the man he ousted from power in 1999 -- and was hit with a series of criminal cases dating back to his rule.

Musharraf has faced charges over Bhutto's murder at an election rally in 2007, the death of a Baluch rebel leader in 2006 and the suspension of judges in 2007.

In April he was put under house arrest, an unprecedented move in a country ruled for more than half of its life by the military. The decision was seen by many as a challenge to the armed forces' power.

Since Sharif won the election there have been repeated rumours that a deal would be reached to allow Musharraf to leave Pakistan before his trials were completed.

One theory was that he might be allowed to visit his sick elderly mother in Dubai on compassionate grounds, but aides have said repeatedly that he is determined to face justice and clear his name.

The ex-ruler has been living in part of his 1,100 square metre (12,000 square foot) house, declared a "sub-jail" under the auspices of a prison in Rawalpindi. He is guarded by some 300 police, paramilitaries and marksmen.

Reports have claimed he is enjoying a comfortable life in detention. He has even had the services of his personal cook because of his fears of being poisoned.

The Taliban have threatened to kill Musharraf, who as president allied Pakistan with Washington in the US "war on terror" in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.