Musharraf indicted over Bhutto

The indictment made against former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf is an "undignified attempt to smear his integrity" on a world stage, his Office issued in a statement today.

Dr. Raza Bokhari, International spokesperson and North American Point of Contact to General Musharraf said:

The spokesman for former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf has defended him today after he was formally indicted on charges today over the murder of former premier Benazir Bhutto in 2007.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Major General Rashid Qureshi said: "[There is] no proof whatsoever in the charges… they are ridiculous".

The lawyer of former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf has said there is "no evidence" to support claims of murdering former premier Benazir Bhutto in 2007, after he was formally indicted today. Afsha Adil told reporters that cases were all "fabricated".

Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf should be tried, public prosecutor Mohammad Azhar said, after he was formally indicted of the murder of former premier Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated in 2007.

The three charges of murder, conspiracy to murder and facilitation of murder were read out to Musharraf at a brief hearing in the city of Rawalpindi.

"These charges are baseless. We are not afraid of the proceedings. We will follow legal procedures in the court," his lawyer Syeda Afshan Adil refuted.

It is the first time Pervez Musharraf or any other former army chief in Pakistan has been charged with a crime.

A court formally indicted him over the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Pervez Musharraf made no public remarks during his appearance and denied all the charges against him, a member of his legal team said.

Hundreds of police were deployed along the main road leading to the court as Musharraf's car arrived.

A court has formally indicted former Pakistani president and army chief Pervez Musharraf over the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, the public prosecutor said.

Prosecutor Chaudry Muhammed Azhar said the charges include murder, conspiracy to commit murder and facilitation for murder.

Prosecutors claim Musharraf, who was president at the time, failed to properly protect her when she was killed during a rally in the city of Rawalpindi in 2007.

Afsha Adil, a member of Musharraf's legal team, said Musharraf pleaded not guilty.