An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi today issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former military ruler Gen Pervaz Musharraf in Benazir Bhutto assassination case.

The move comes days after Musharraf was declared an accused in the interim chargesheet submitted by the prosecution in the case. It named him as part of the conspiracy to eliminate Benazir and setting up Taliban militant Baitullah Mehsud for the job.

Chaudhry Zulfiqar, prosecutor for the Federal Investigation Agency, argued that Musharraf should be declared an absconder for failing to cooperate in the investigation. The court directed Musharaf to appear before it at the next hearing on February 19, failing which he would be declared a proclaimed offender.

The warrant was issued on the statements of Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema (retd), a spokesperson of the Interior Ministry, and Brig Aijaz Shah, ex-chief of the Intelligence Bureau.

In his confessional statement, Cheema said he was directed by Musharraf to brief the press within 24 hours of the murder and name Baitullah as the killer, though a probe was ordered into the case four days later. Cheema had also played the ‘audiotape’ of Mehsud’s conversation with a commander, lauding his role for accomplishing the task. The cassette never resurfaced again. Shah backed Cheema’s statements.

Earlier, prosecutors told the court that further progress in the Bhutto assassination was not possible without Musharraf's presence. They said they had tried repeatedly to contact Musharraf but he had refused to cooperate. (With PTI inputs)