Pakistan court issues a non-bailable warrant for Pervez Musharraf

Days after former president Pervez Musharraf was made an accused in the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, a non-bailable arrest warrant was today issued against him to secure his presence in the court to stand trial.    Judge Rana Nisar Ahmed Khan of the Pakistani anti-terrorism court, conducting the trial of five suspects charged with involvement in Benazir's assassination, issuedthe warrant Musharraf.    The court made the move after Chaudhry Zulfiqar, the prosecutor for the Federal Investigation Agency, argued that Musharraf should be declared an absconder for failing to cooperate in the investigation into the assassination.    The court directed Musharaf to appear before it at the next hearing on February 19.    But, Musharraf's legal advisor Muhammad Ali Saif told PTI there was "no possibility" of the former President appearing in court and said the court's decision to issue a warrant was "politically-motivated".    Prosecutors told the court that further progress in investigating Bhutto's assassination was not possible without Musharraf's presence.    They said they had tried repeatedly to contact Musharraf but he had refused to cooperate.    They also said he should be declared a wanted fugitive if he did not appear for the next hearing.    The judge also considered statements by former Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema and former Intelligence Bureau chief Ejaz Shah, who said they had acted on Musharraf's instructions in matters related to theassassination.    Cheema has told investigators that he was acting on Musharraf's instructions when he announced at a news conference shortly after the assassination that the Talibanwere behind the killing.    The FIA had named Musharraf as an "absconder" earlier this week for failing to cooperate with investigators.    Talking to reporters shortly after the court issued the warrant, Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan said the government would provide any sort of cooperation that was requested by the court.    "We will provide whatever help the court wants. We can even contact the Interpol (regarding Musharraf)," she said.    "It is up to the court to decide what sort of intervention or support it wants," Awan added.