Pakistan anti-terrorism court gives prosecutors a week on Musharraf

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Saturday gave prosecutors a week to serve an arrest warrant on former President Pervez Musharraf in connection with a case related to the assassination of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto.
   
The joint investigation team probing the assassination sought more time from Judge Rana Nisar Ahmad of the Rawalpindi-based court to serve the warrant on Musharraf, who has been living in self-exile in Britain since 2008. The judge had issued the warrant on February 12 to ensure that Musharraf cooperated with investigators.

Officials of the Federal Investigation Agency have said that the former president has refused to help the sleuths
probing Bhutto's murder in Rawalpindi in December 2007.

The Pakistan government had sent the warrant to Home Office, prosecution lawyer Azhar Chaudhry said. The Pakistan
High Commission in London is hopeful of getting a response from the British Home Office in a week, he said.
   
Following this, the judge adjourned the case till March 26.

The proceedings in the case related to Bhutto's assassination are being held behind closed doors in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi for security reasons.

Five suspects linked to the Pakistani Taliban have been booked for alleged involvement in the assassination.
   
The anti-terrorism court had earlier declared Musharraf an "absconder".

His aides have said he will not return to Pakistan to take part in the hearings. Musharraf is currently believed to
be in Dubai.