Pak court orders Musharraf to appear in Bugti murder case

A Pakistani anti-terrorist court has ordered former military dictator Pervez Musharraf to personally appear at the next hearing in the murder case of Baloch tribal leader Akbar Bugti, an official said today.

The anti-terrorist court in Quetta, capital of Balochistan, yesterday during regular hearing took strong exception to 70-year-old Musharraf's failure to appear on five previous occasions despite being summoned.

The court is hearing the case relating to the murder of Bugti who was killed in an army operation in 2006.

Judge Tariq Kansi adjourned the hearing till June 16, ordering Musharraf to appear, district official Shafqat Ali told PTI.

Earlier, the defence team sought a one-day exception for Musharraf from appearance on medical grounds, which was granted by the judge.

Former Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao and former Balochistan Home Minister Mir Shoaib Nausherwani appeared and asked the court to drop charges against them.

Both the politicians held key portfolios during the Musharraf regime.

Since returning to Pakistan from self-exile in March last year, Musharraf is facing prosecution in four major cases, including Bugti's killing and for his alleged involvement in the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007.

Musharraf was also indicted on March 31 for high treason for suspending, subverting and abrogating the Constitution, imposing an emergency in the country in November 2007 and detaining judges of the superior courts.

The former army chief, who is the first military ruler in Pakistan's history to be tried in court, has rejected all charges levelled against him.