Musharraf declared fugitive in Benazir Bhutto murder case

Pakistan's former president, Pervez Musharraf, has been declared a fugitive from justice and had his property confiscated after he failed to appear in court over the assassination ten years ago of Benazir Bhutto.

In what The Guardian describes as "one of the most controversial trials in Pakistani history", two high-ranking police officials were sentenced to 17 years in prison yesterday for negligence and mistreatment of evidence in connection to the death of the former prime minister.

But in a move that surprised some observers, five suspected Taliban members were acquitted of conspiracy to murder after judges cited lack of evidence against them, "sparking anger from some supporters of Bhutto", says CNN.

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The dominant figure in Pakistani politics, having twice served as prime minister over two decades, Bhutto was killed in a gun and bomb attack at an election rally in December 2007.

A 2010 UN report said her death could have been prevented by Musharraf's government, which failed to provide enough protection. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party has gone further, claiming Musharraf himself was behind her murder. Before her death, Bhutto said Musharraf should be blamed if anything were to happen to her.

In 2013, the general turned politician was indicted on charges of murder, criminal conspiracy to murder and facilitation of murder, despite his government at the time blaming the assassination of Pakistani Taliban extremists.

Persistent health problems delayed the trial until last year, when he was allowed to leave the country to seek treatment. Since then he has lived in self-imposed exile in Dubai.

By failing to bring its most prominent suspect to justice, the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi has set "a dangerous precedent", said Saroop Ijaz, a lawyer and researcher with Human Rights Watch in Pakistan.