Pakistani Court Orders Musharraf Arrest

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf

A court in Pakistan has ordered the arrest of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in a case related to the December 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The antiterrorism court in the northwestern city of Rawalpindi on April 25 ordered the government to formally arrest Musharraf and question him.

Prosecution lawyer Zulfikar Chaudhry said that Musharraf is also supposed to attend a court hearing on April 26.

Musharraf is accused of negligence in failing to protect Bhutto, who was assassinated in Rawalpindi while campaigning for parliamentary elections.

He is already under house arrest related to a separate case being heard in Islamabad relating to his imposition of emergency rule and dismissal of high-ranking judges in November 2007.

Musharraf returned to Pakistan last month after four years of self-imposed exile in an effort to compete in next month's parliamentary elections.

Based on reporting by Tribune.com.pk and BBC Urdu