BHC maintains Musharraf’s acquittal in Akbar Bugti’s murder case

QUETTA: Balochistan High Court rejected on Wednesday the petition challenging General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in murder case of Nawab Akbar Bugti, maintaining the acquittal announced by anti-terrorism court.

While hearing the case, the two-member bench of Justice Jamal Mandokhail and Justice Nazeer Langove dismissed the two petitions filed by Akbar Bugti’s son Jamil Bugti requesting trial of the acquittal announced by an anti-terrorism court.

However, while speaking to the media after the court session, Jamil Bugti’s counsel Sohail Rajput said hindrances were created in the proceeding of the case, right from its beginning, through the investigation.

“My client is dubious over the matter,” the counsel said. “Moreover, the fact is reflective of bias that prime accused Musharraf was absent in all the court proceedings.”

He added they had reservations over the decision hence will take the case to the Supreme Court.

Last year, the anti-terrorism court had acquitted three accused, including Musharraf, in Akbar Bugti’s murder case.

ATC Quetta Judge Jan Mohammad Gohar accepted in 2016 the applications of the three accused — Musharraf, former interior minister Aftab Sherpao and former home minister of Balochistan, Mir Shoaib Nosherwani — seeking acquittal under Section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The court rejected three applications filed by the lawyer of Jamil Bugti. In one of the applications, he requested Akbar Bugti’s body be exhumed to ascertain whether the one buried in Dera Bugti was that of his father.

In the FIR registered in 2009 over the order of BHC after Akbar Bugti’s murder, Jamil Bugti nominated Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, Aftab Sherpao, former governor of Balochistan Owais Ghani, Balochistan’s former chief minister Jam Mohammad Yousaf, Shoaib Nosherwani and Dera Bugti’s former district coordination officer Abdul Samad Lasi.

Jam Mohammad Yousaf had died two years ago, therefore, his name was removed from the case by the court.