Former Pakistan leader Musharraf declared fugitive in Bhutto murder case
Baku, September 1, AZERTAC
A court in Pakistan on Thursday named Pervez Musharraf, the country's former President and army chief, a fugitive from justice in the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed while campaigning in 2007.
According to CNN, but the court's decision to drop charges against five members of the Pakistani Taliban linked to the killing has sparked anger from some supporters of Bhutto.
The court ordered Musharraf's property to be seized in what his attorney, Faisal Chaudhary, described as a "disappointing and a flawed judgment."
Musharraf was indicted in 2013 on charges of murder, criminal conspiracy to murder and facilitation of murder, but his health problems delayed the case. He was allowed to leave the country to seek treatment in 2016.
Musharraf has lived in self-imposed exile in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, since then.
Sen. Farogh Naseem, a legal expert and former counsel to Musharraf, dismissed the court's action, telling CNN it was "not a verdict against Gen. Musharraf since his case has not proceeded against him or in his favor as he is not in the country."
On Thursday, the court sentenced two senior police officers, Saud Aziz and Khurram Shahzad, to 17 years in prison. They were among seven men indicted for conspiracy to commit murder in 2011.
The two officials were accused of security breaches and covering up evidence by hosing down the crime scene.
At the specially adjourned Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi, judges also dismissed charges against five members of the Pakistani Taliban. The group, which the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization, had previously been linked to Bhutto's death.
The court cited a lack of evidence linking the men to the crime.
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