Islamabad: Police in Pakistan Monday registered murder charges against former president Pervez Musharraf over killings of students during a military raid on Islamabad's Red Mosque in 2007, lawyers said.
Police said nearly 100 people, most of whom were religious school students as well as security personnel, had been killed in the clashes, Xinhua reported.
Deputy chief of the mosque, Abdul Rashid Ghazi, his mother and nephew were among those killed during the operation.
Haroon Rasheed, the son of the slain Ghazi, had approached the Islamabad High Court for registration of a murder case against Musharraf, who was ruling the country at the time of the operation.
Police had earlier refused to register the case against Musharraf despite the court's order in July. An application for contempt of court against the police officer concerned was later submitted to the court because of his refusal to register the case.
Justice Noorul Huque Qureshi Monday summoned police officer Qasim Niazi and scolded him for his behaviour. The judge then ordered registration of the case inside the court room. The section also includes murder charges against Musharraf.
The police had refused to register the case on the plea that they would do so after consulting their legal branch.
Lawyers said the police would now formally begin proceedings against Musharraf, who is also facing other charges, including conspiracy to kill former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Musharraf, who resigned as president in 2008, returned to Pakistan this year in March after over four years of exile. He is under house arrest in Islamabad.
The former president also faces charges of killing tribal elder Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was killed in a military operation in 2006 in Balochistan province.
Comments
| Quick linksNews
National
International
Regional
Politics
Education & Career
Business
Science & Technology
Health
Views & Analysis
The Funny Side
© 2012 Awaz Multimedia & Publications. All rights reserved.
Govt's allowance to Imams unconstitutional: West Bengal courtA division bench of Justices Pranab Kumar Chattopadhyay and Murari Prasad Shrivastava made the observation while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the state...... More
Also Read: West Bengal muezzins to get monthly honorarium through Waqf Board
Stereotyping MuslimsFalse terror cases destroying families, say Muslims
False terror cases against young Muslim boys was the main concern expressed by the minority community members who gathered here to take stock of the promises made ..... More
Also Read: Muslim youth selectively being targeted: Parliament told
Sardar was proud of his Hindu heritage, though not deeply religious. However, his Hinduism was not narrow and he respected other religions. He had accepted the composite character of India. However, he ..... More
Assaad, who grew up in Lebanon, learnt to drive by the age of 13 and soon caught the eye of the country's education minister who helped secure her a scholarship to study medicine, reported..... More
