Musharraf indicted in Baloch leader's murder case

A court in Pakistan Wednesday indicted former president Pervez Musharraf in the murder of Balochistan leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in 2006 that had sparked protests in parts of the country, a media report said.

The anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta city ordered Musharraf's indictment after rejecting a request by his counsel Zeeshan Cheema that the former military dictator be exempted from appearing before the court on medical grounds, Dawn reported.

Despite the ATC's repeated orders, Musharraf did not appear in the court Wednesday. Earlier, the Balochistan High Court had issued arrest warrants against all the accused in the case.

Prosecution lawyer Sohail Rajput contended that the former president was regularly giving interviews to various TV channels.

The court said Musharraf would be granted exemption from appearance in the court only after a medical board apprises it about the former army chief's health.

Along with Musharraf, the court also ordered the indictment of former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and former home minister of Balochistan Mir Shoaib Nowsherwani in the Baloch leader's murder.

The hearing of the case was adjourned to Feb 4.

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 then the country's president and army chief.

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

Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti, son of the Baloch chieftain, had named Musharraf and other former ministers in the murder of his father.