ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In an attack that shocked the usually sedate capital, gunmen on Friday morning shot to death the Pakistani government’s top prosecutor in a case accusing former military ruler Pervez Musharraf of involvement in the 2007 assassination of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, police said.
The gunmen, riding in a taxi, sprayed state prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfikar’s car with bullets as he was leaving his home here en route to an anti-terrorism court in nearby Rawalpindi for trial proceedings in the Bhutto case.
The assailants escaped and authorities said the motive for the attack was not known.
“The police are not aware of any threats being received by the state prosecutor,” said Irshad Abro, a senior police official.
Zulfikar’s death comes amid a spate of political killings by the Pakistani Taliban, which has launched concentrated attacks against secular parties as part of the militants’ avowed efforts to derail the May 11 national election that would bring the first transfer of power between elected governments in Pakistan’s 65-year history.
Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan for nine years before going into self-exile in 2008, returned in March in an ultimately futile bid to run for prime minister. He has been under house arrest for several weeks, facing allegations in various cases linked to his tenure.
In the one unfolding in Rawalpindi, prosecutors have alleged that Musharraf was culpable for Bhutto’s murder for not providing her enough security. He has denied the allegations.
At the time, Musharraf’s government blamed the Taliban for the fatal attack on Bhutto, a two-time prime minister.
Proceedings in the case have been bogged down for years, and only resumed recently with Musharraf’s return.
Zulfikar also headed the prosecution of Pakistani militants accused in the three-day massacre in Mumbai, India, that killed 166 people, including six U.S. citizens.
Indian and U.S. authorities blamed the attack on Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based group that they allege is headed by Lahore religious scholar and cleric Hafiz Saeed, who has denied involvement.
The trial against the seven men suspected in the Mumbai attack has dragged on for years as well. Pakistani courts have repeatedly refused to accept evidence from Indian authorities. Saeed continues to preach freely, and has the backing of the Pakistani government and courts, which both say there is no credible evidence tying him to the Mumbai operation.
Pakistani’s main military intelligence agency helped create Lashkar-e-Taiba to wage attacks on Indian forces in its the disputed territory of Kashmir, but now disavows any control over or connection to the group.
Musharraf, a former four-star general who also served as president, is also facing treason charges in a Supreme Court case connected to his dismissal and arrest of scores of senior judges in a bid to hold power late in his tenure.
Friday’s assassination of the prosecutor took place in a middle-class neighborhood. Police said Zulfiqar received multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and head and died on the way to a hospital. His bodyguard was also severely injured.
A woman on the scene was killed when hit by Zulfiqar’s car after it came under fire from the attackers, who fled the scene on motorcycles, police said.
The gunmen, riding in a taxi, sprayed state prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfikar’s car with bullets as he was leaving his home here en route to an anti-terrorism court in nearby Rawalpindi for trial proceedings in the Bhutto case.
The assailants escaped and authorities said the motive for the attack was not known.
“The police are not aware of any threats being received by the state prosecutor,” said Irshad Abro, a senior police official.
Zulfikar’s death comes amid a spate of political killings by the Pakistani Taliban, which has launched concentrated attacks against secular parties as part of the militants’ avowed efforts to derail the May 11 national election that would bring the first transfer of power between elected governments in Pakistan’s 65-year history.
Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan for nine years before going into self-exile in 2008, returned in March in an ultimately futile bid to run for prime minister. He has been under house arrest for several weeks, facing allegations in various cases linked to his tenure.
In the one unfolding in Rawalpindi, prosecutors have alleged that Musharraf was culpable for Bhutto’s murder for not providing her enough security. He has denied the allegations.
At the time, Musharraf’s government blamed the Taliban for the fatal attack on Bhutto, a two-time prime minister.
Proceedings in the case have been bogged down for years, and only resumed recently with Musharraf’s return.
Zulfikar also headed the prosecution of Pakistani militants accused in the three-day massacre in Mumbai, India, that killed 166 people, including six U.S. citizens.
Indian and U.S. authorities blamed the attack on Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based group that they allege is headed by Lahore religious scholar and cleric Hafiz Saeed, who has denied involvement.
The trial against the seven men suspected in the Mumbai attack has dragged on for years as well. Pakistani courts have repeatedly refused to accept evidence from Indian authorities. Saeed continues to preach freely, and has the backing of the Pakistani government and courts, which both say there is no credible evidence tying him to the Mumbai operation.
Pakistani’s main military intelligence agency helped create Lashkar-e-Taiba to wage attacks on Indian forces in its the disputed territory of Kashmir, but now disavows any control over or connection to the group.
Musharraf, a former four-star general who also served as president, is also facing treason charges in a Supreme Court case connected to his dismissal and arrest of scores of senior judges in a bid to hold power late in his tenure.
Friday’s assassination of the prosecutor took place in a middle-class neighborhood. Police said Zulfiqar received multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and head and died on the way to a hospital. His bodyguard was also severely injured.
A woman on the scene was killed when hit by Zulfiqar’s car after it came under fire from the attackers, who fled the scene on motorcycles, police said.