QUETTA: A court yesterday dismissed a petition by former military dictator Pervez Musharraf for his trial over the death of a rebel leader to be transferred due to security fears. Musharraf was head of state in 2006 when the main rebel leader in the southwestern province of Baluchistan, Akbar Bugti, died during an army operation. Musharraf, who returned home from four years of self-imposed exile in March, has been under arrest in his villa on the edge of Islamabad since April 19. He is facing charges in several high-profile cases, including the 2007 murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. His lawyers yesterday asked the Chief Justice of Baluchistan High Court to shift his trial over Bugti to Rawalpindi in Punjab province. “The court dismissed our petition saying it is not maintainable,” lawyer Ilyas Siddiqui said. Earlier, the Chief Justice allowed the provincial government to withdraw a similar petition. An interim government, set up in the province for the May 11 general election, had filed a request for the case to be transferred for security reasons. The new elected provincial government withdrew the application.
‘No rush on US security pact’
KABUL: Afghanistan is in no rush to sign a pact with the US setting out how many US troops will stay after a Nato mission ends next year and may delay a decision until after a presidential election, President Hamid Karzai said. Foreign combat troops are due to leave by the end of 2014, when the Nato-led mission winds up and the responsibility for fighting Taliban insurgents is handed over to Afghan forces. But Nato plans to keep a slimmed-down training and advisory mission after 2014 although the US and other allies have been slow to provide detailed numbers of troops. “Although the Americans asked for October, we are not in a hurry and if the document is agreed upon during this government, good,” Karzai said. “And if not, the next president can discuss whether to or not to accept it.” The collapse of a similar pact with Iraq in 2011 led to the US pulling its troops out.
Taliban sacks commander
PESHAWAR: The Pakistani Taliban yesterday announced they had removed a key commander for welcoming a call for dialogue by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over ending bloodshed that has left thousands dead. Ismatullah Muaweea, head of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) Punjab province chapter, on Thursday hailed Sharif’s offer. “The Taliban decision making body met under Commander Hakimullah Mehsud and decided that Muaweea has no relation with the TTP,” Shahidullah Shahid, Taliban spokesman, said.
Curfew in three Pakistan towns
Islamabad: A 24-hour curfew was imposed in troubled areas of central Pakistan after 11 people were killed in sectarian violence, authorities said yesterday. Police placed Darya Khan, Kotal Jam and Panj Garaeen towns of the district under a three-day curfew since Friday night. Rallies and political meetings in Bhakkar city are also banned. Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, in which Bhakkar is located, ordered an investigation into the killings.
Agencies
