RAWALPINDI, May 30: An anti-terrorism court declared former President Pervez Musharraf a proclaimed offender on Monday in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case and directed the Federal Investigation Agency to publish the order in British newspapers.

ATC-III Judge Rana Nisar Ahmed heard the case at Adiala Jail. Advocate Chaudhry Azhar appeared on behalf of the FIA and Malik Rafique, Jawad Khalid and Naseer Tanoli as defence counsel.

FIA’s investigating officer Khalid Rasool presented the agency’s compliance report about non-bailable arrest warrants of Gen (retd) Musharraf.

He said the British home department had refused to cooperate with Pakistan because there was no extradition treaty between the two countries for handover of the accused.

The FIA requested the court to declare the former president a proclaimed offender.

The defence counsel objected to the request and said the prosecution had failed to prove that they had contacted the British home department for implementation of the court order.

The judge also ordered the FIA to submit a report within a week about publication of his order in British newspapers.

The court adjourned the hearing till June 11.

Later, FIA Additional Director Shujha Naveed informed the court that FIA had restored Khalid Rasool as investigation officer in the case. The court suspended the contempt of court notice against FIA Director General Malik Iqbal issued for changing the officer.

FIA prosecutor Chaudhry Muhammad Azhar told newsmen that the court had declared the former president a proclaimed offender under section 87 of CRPC.

“If Mr Musharraf fails to appear, the court would seize his movable and immovable property under Section 88 of CRPC,” he said.