Islamabad: A Pakistani court has asked the government to serve arrest warrants through Interpol against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Zardari in connection with a case of alleged false declaration of assets before the 1993 general elections.
The District and Sessions Court in Islamabad on Friday ordered officials to issue the warrants to the couple through Interpol after authorities maintained that they could not serve the warrants as ordered earlier by justice Rafi-uz-Zaman.
This is for the third time that the court issued non-bailable warrants on cases filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) alleging that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders had made a false declaration of their assets before the 1993 general elections.
Interpol had issued red corner notices on the two at the instance of Pakistan government some months ago. That, however, was more of an advisory than a warrant for arrest.
The latest court ruling may help the government to issue arrest warrants through Interpol, in which case Benazir, who lives in Dubai and London in self-exile, may face arrest and extradition.
PPP denounced the arrest warrants, calling it an abuse of the judicial process by Musharraf regime.
The court order came as media reports said that contacts between Benazir and Musharraf have been stepped up in the aftermath of the crisis arising out of Bugti's killing.
PPP alleged that pressure was being exerted on Benazir to work out an understanding with Musharraf, a report in Dawn daily said on Saturday.
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