Musharraf trial opens in Bhutto killing

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A Pakistani court heard a policeman's testimony at the start of the trial of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in the 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

The anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, after hearing the testimony of Constable Kashif Bashir Tuesday, adjourned until Sept. 3. Bashir, the only witness called, said he was present when Bhutto was killed at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi Dec. 27, 2007, News International reported.

Bhutto was among those who died in a suicide bomb and gun attack after she had addressed an election campaign rally.

Musharraf, who took power in 1999 after a coup and ruled Pakistan as president for nine years, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and facilitation of murder this month by the anti-terrorism court. Six others also were charged.

Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman also has summoned four doctors who conducted the postmortem on the victims in the 2007 terror attack, Dawn newspaper reported. However, the doctors failed to appear, citing personal reasons, prompting the adjournment.

Musharraf was not in court, having been exempted from personal appearances because of security reasons, the Press Trust of India reported.

The retired general remains in his sprawling villa outside Islamabad where he has been under house arrest since April following his return from years of exile abroad. The house arrest charge stems from a case relating to detention of Pakistani judges in 2007 when Musharraf was in power.

He faces other accusations.