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Pakistan court defers Musharraf indictment

Pervez Musharraf has failed to appear in court where he was to be indicted over the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

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Source: AAP


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An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has postponed the expected indictment of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on charges of conspiracy to murder the late opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, officials say.

The judge fixed the next hearing for August 20 after police did not bring Musharraf to the court in the city of Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad due to security concerns, a government lawyer said.

Pakistan has been on high alert since the weekend after a warning by intelligence agencies that insurgents might be planning attacks in major cities.

Islamist militants have said in the past they would send suicide bombers to kill Musharraf.

Musharraf's lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri said his client would plead not guilty in his trial.

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If convicted, Musharraf would face the death penalty or life imprisonment, prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar Ali said.

The former military strongman Musharraf has been under house arrest for more than three months.

Bhutto, who was twice elected prime minister, was assassinated in a gun and bomb attack in December 2007.

There are worries the trial could widen mistrust between the civilian government and powerful military.

Four generals ruled Pakistan in the past, but none were ever indicted.


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