ISLAMABAD — A Pakistani court issued an arrest warrant for ousted military leader Pervez Musharraf on Saturday over allegations he played a role in the 2007 assassination of an ex-prime minister and rival. It was a major setback for the onetime U.S. ally, who was plotting a political comeback from outside the country.
Musharraf, who has not been charged, described accusations that he had a hand in the attack on former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as a smear campaign by a government led by her aggrieved husband.
The stunning allegation that Musharraf, a self-declared opponent of Islamic militancy, was linked to extremists accused in the attack was likely to keep him out of Pakistan, at least in the short term.
His possible arrest abroad did not appear imminent. Pakistan’s information minister, Firdous Ashiq Awan, said the government will contact Interpol about seeking Musharraf’s detention if the court requests it.
Musharraf’s spokesman said the former leader was in Dubai, with no plans to go to Pakistan. Speaking from London, where Musharraf has lived in self-imposed exile, Fawad Chaudri quoted him as saying that the accusations were “absurd and ridiculous.”
Musharraf left Pakistan for Britain in 2008 after being forced out of the presidency he secured in a 1999 military coup. Though Musharraf does not have a large support base in Pakistan, he has vowed to return to lead a new political party.
Bhutto was killed Dec. 27, 2007, in a gun and suicide bomb attack after returning to Pakistan to campaign in elections Musharraf reluctantly allowed. Musharraf blamed the Pakistani Taliban for the attack, but government prosecutors say he was part of the plot.
“A joint investigation team, in its report to the court, has found Musharraf guilty of being involved in the conspiracy” to kill Bhutto, said Zulfikar Ali Chaudhry, the lead prosecutor.
He said evidence that Musharraf was “completely involved” has come from the Pakistani Taliban and said prosecutors are seeking a murder trial.
Chaudhry did not elaborate, but the new accusations and arrest warrant stem from a case against two security officials accused of not adequately protecting Bhutto.
Musharraf has always denied any role in Bhutto’s death and scoffed at critics who said he did not do enough to protect her. The Pakistani Taliban also denied targeting Bhutto.
Musharraf has not been indicted. The court is conducting preliminary hearings about the accusations, and prosecutors say Musharraf will have an opportunity to defend himself.
