Pakistan issues an arrest warrant for Musharraf
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court issued an arrest warrant for former President Pervez Musharraf Saturday in connection with the 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
A Musharraf spokesman said the former leader will not comply with the warrant, calling it "totally ridiculous."
"No, he won't be going back for this hearing," Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesman for Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League party, told AFP.
The court said it cannot continue its investigation without the presence of Musharraf. Prosecutors accuse the former leader of knowing the Taliban planned on attacking Bhutto but not providing her adequate protection.
Bhutto, who held two terms as primer minister of Pakistan, was killed while traveling in an election motorcade in Rawalpindi in December 2007.
Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan for nine years until he stepped down in 2008, denies the allegations. He lives in London, and the court claims he has refused to cooperate with the case.
The court now insists that Musharraf appear for the next hearing on February 19 or be considered a fugitive.
Follow GlobalPost on Twitter: @GlobalPost
Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you. We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000!