ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has been asked to formally request Interpol to issue red notices for the arrest of former army ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

According to sources, the Federal Investigation Agency's counter-terrorism wing has written a letter to the ministry in this regard.

Red notices are issued by the international police agency to place a suspect on its 'most wanted' list.

The retired general is accused of having failed to provide adequate security to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated in a gun and bomb attack outside Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi while leaving an election rally on Dec 27, 2007.

The sources said the FIA informed the ministry that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had found Pervez Musharraf, resident of Agro Farm No1, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, to be involved in the assassination of Ms Bhutto.

The FIA has sent to the ministry complete record of the case, including copies of arrest warrants issued by an anti-terrorism court for Gen Musharraf and the FIR of the attack in which Ms Bhutto was killed.

Gen Musharraf, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai since leaving Pakistan in August 2008, planned to return to the country and take part in the next general elections. However, he postponed his plan after the government warned that he would be arrested on arrival.

The Rawalpindi ATC-III of Justice Nisar Ahmed issued non-bailable warrants against him in the assassination case and subsequently declared him a proclaimed offender.

The FIA requested the interior ministry to complete the legal formalities for requesting Interpol to issue red notices so that he could be brought to the country to face criminal trial pending against him in the ATC.