QUETTA: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta granted exemption on Monday to former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, from appearing in court for the hearing of the Nawab Akbar Bugti murder case while ordering him to appear in court for the next hearing adjourned until June 16, DawnNews reported.

The former military ruler is on bail in the case.

This is the sixth time that the court has ordered for the former military strongman’s appearance in court, but he has remained absent from all hearings despite assurance provided by his guarantors.

Two of the co-accused in the case, former federal interior minister Aftab Sherpao and former provincial interior minister Shoaib Nausherwani also appeared in today’s hearing.

Both submitted their requests for their acquittal from the Bugti case.

The ATC issued notices to the relevant authorities.

Baloch nationalist leader Akbar Khan Bugti was killed in a cave on Aug 26, 2006 during a military crackdown ordered by Musharraf who was president and army chief at the time.

Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti has nominated Musharraf, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, former governor Owais Ahmed Ghani, late chief minister Jam Mohammad Yousuf, Sherpao, Nausherwani and former district coordination officer of Dera Bugti, Abdul Samad Lasi, in the murder case of his father.

On Nov 26 last year , former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, former governor Balochistan Owais Ahmed Ghani, former district coordination officer (DCO) Abdul Samad Lasi, all of whom were also nominated in the murder of the Baloch leader, were declared fugitives by the ATC hearing the case.

The co-accused persons still remain at large.