Musharraf to be arrested on return to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will be arrested on return in connection with the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, an investigator said on Saturday.

Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan in 1999-2008, has been living in exile for nearly three years in Britain and UAE. He has announced to return home by end-January to take part in politics.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), investigating the killing of Benazir Bhutto in firing and suicide bomb attack in the city of Rawalpindi, had sought arrest warrant for Pervez Musharraf as he has been accused of failure to take security measures for the country's two times prime minister.

An Anti-Terrorism Court has already issued his arrest warrants and declared him proclaimed offender.

Musharraf's wife Sehba Musharraf Saturday submitted an application in the court, requesting review of the court's earlier order of declaring Musharraf proclaimed offender.

Prosecutor for the FIA Chaudhry Zulfiqar told reporters in Rawalpindi that the FIA is ready to "welcome" former president as anti-terrorism court (ATC) had issued arrest warrant for him.

He said that there was no need to issue new arrest warrants against the former ruler. The prosecutor said orders had also been issued to confiscate Musharraf's property as he had failed to appear in the court and to answer questions about his government's failure to protect Benazir Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan in October 2007 under a deal with Musharraf.

Musharraf has launched All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party and his party leaders say he will land at Islamabad airport by end-January. The former president is also charged in the murder of a nationalist tribal elder Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006 in Balochistan province.

Musharraf told Pakistan's Geo television Friday night that he will face the court after his arrival in Pakistan. APML has constituted a legal team to defend Musharraf in courts, his spokesman Barrister Saif said.