Musharraf might have courted more than just danger when he stepped back into the political arena in Pakistan.
In the past few weeks, he has seen his bid for re-election quashed, his person placed under arrest, and a life time ban on political life slapped on him.
Now the real danger begins. Investigators in Pakistan say that they have solid evidence linking the deposed military leader to the death of Benazir Bhutto, who was slated to win re-election as prime minister at the time of her slaying.
The court that issued such statement also ordered that Musharraf be kept in prison for two more weeks, in concern for his life. The court, in fact, passed the order in absentia just to defray the dangers of riots.
The accusations against Musharraf stem from findings that the ex military premier was negligent in providing Bhutto with sufficient security at the time of her return to Pakistan in 2007.
However, Musharraf has already rebutted that he is innocent, and that security for the slain prime minister rested on local authorities.
One of the witnesses in the case against Musharraf will be American journalist and lobbyst Mark Siegel, who accompanied Bhutto in Pakistan and who served as her press agent in the United States when, according to Siegel, Bhutto received a threatening phone call from Musharraf before her departure for Pakistan.
The Musharraf govt, which was in power at the time of Bhutto's death, has always contended that Bhutto died at the hands of Muslim extremists, in particular the Taliban, who for their part have always declined responsibility in the murder.
Source : Xinhua 4.30.13
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