Pak court rejects plea filed against Musharraf

A Pakistani court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a police case against former president Pervez Musharraf and his close aides for the "murder" of Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti.

The petition, filed last month by Bugti's son Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti at a sessions court at Sibbi in Balochistan, was dismissed by the judge who said the matter did not come under his jurisdiction.

The court had earlier reserved its judgment on the petition two days ago.

Jamil Bugti's lawyer said he would decide on a future course of action after consulting his client.

The petition had asked the court to direct police to register a case against Musharraf, former premier Shaukat Aziz, ex-Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, former Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani and several former members of the federal and Balochistan cabinets.

Jamil Bugti alleged in the petition that Musharraf and others at the helm of affairs were responsible for killing his father and hundreds of others during a military operation. The petition was filed a day ahead of the third death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was killed with 37 of his followers in a military operation in Dera Bugti district on August 26, 2006.