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 Pakistani president escaped death by a matter of seconds as his car drove over Lai bridge on December 14 last year.
He claimed that the move was in response to activities on the Indian side.\n\n
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will call on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad on Wednesday and discuss various aspects of bilateral relations including taking forward the Composite Dialogue Process.Mukherjee, who is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad later today for discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmoud Qureshi to take forward the CDP into the fifth round, would also meet Pakistani leaders Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari.
Musharrraf will be addressing the UN besides meeting George Bush and Manmohan Singh.
Accusing Pakistan of "double-dealing" the US during the Musharraf regime, a key adviser on terrorism in President-elect Barack Obama's transition team has charged that Islamabad fleeced Washington for billions of dollars in aid while allowing al-Qaeda to regroup in the tribal belt.
Beleaguered former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf faced fresh trouble on Thursday with the police arresting him over the killing of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti in a 2006 army operation, the third time he has been taken into custody within a fortnight in three separate cases.
Article 63 obstructs him as no government servant can be elected to the National Assembly or hold a public office until two years after his retirement.
The United States has revealed, for the first time, that it wanted a 'safe exit' for former Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf after he was forced to step down from the post of head of state last year. Anne W Patterson, the US ambassador to Pakistan, said that Washington wanted a 'safe exit' and a dignified retirement for the former president, the 'Daily Times' newspaper reported on Sunday.
'He has about as much chance of coming back to power as (former Soviet) President (Mikhail) Gorbachev,' The News quoted Richard Holbrooke, US administration's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, as saying to a gathering of American diplomats and security experts.
The ruling Pakistan People's Party on Saturday unveiled a package of sweeping constitutional reforms aimed at curbing President Pervez Musharraf's powers, including those of dissolving parliament and appointing the chiefs of the armed forces. The party, however, remained mum on reinstating judges sacked by Musharraf during emergency last year, an issue that has strained ties with coalition partner Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League N, which quit the cabinet.
Opposition parties which threatened to resign if he went ahead with the re-election plans say that it is an indication that Musharraf was not certain about pro-military alliance returning to power in general elections.
The party president said the combined efforts of the cadre and the professional management of the campaign, which was successful in Gujarat, will be adopted for the polls in nine states slated for next year.
The Pakistani president also said Islamic countries should grapple with terrorism, which causes 'more loss of life within the Muslim world'.
The 20-minute evening call was the first top-level contact between the two countries since Singh was sworn in as Indian prime minister on Saturday. \n\n
A Pakistani court has asked the Lahore police to explain why they refused to register a criminal case against former president Pervez Musharraf for 'illegally' ordering a crackdown on judges during the emergency in 2007, more than a week after the ex-military ruler was booked by the Islamabad police on same charges.The additional district and sessions judge on Tuesday issued a notice to the chief of Islampura police station.
Musharraf responded to Singh by saying that there was "complete autonomy" in PoK and Gilgit but "he was open to consider if anything further needs to be done in this case," it said.
'Would any other nuclear power allow its sensitive installations to be inspected?' he asked.
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has nothing to do with the reinstatement of judges deposed during last year's emergency, the presidential spokesman said on Wednesday. Spokesman Major General (retired) Rashid Qureshi said that a final decision in this regard would have to be taken by Pakistan's ruling coalition government. The President is performing his duties in accordance with the constitution and will continue to do so, Qureshi said.
Even as it sought to 'internationalise' the Jammu and Kashmir situation, Pakistan said on Thursday it was committed to improving relations with India and resolving all outstanding issues in a just and peaceful manner for the progress and prosperity of the two countries.
The former deputy secretary of state said the US president should make it clear to his Pakistani counterpart that support to terrorism and incursions across LoC is 'absolutely unacceptable'.
The former prime minister said Vajpayee has indicated that his upcoming visit to Islamabad will include meetings with "everyone", including Musharraf.
Singh will meet President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. He will also visit 'Nankana Sahib', near Lahore, the birthplace of Guru Nanak.
In a secret deal struck a decade ago, the United States and Pakistan agreed that Washington will carry out a unilateral operation against Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil if he was found there following which Islamabad would vociferously protest the incursion, a media report said on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip off, a joint team of the Federal Investigation Agency, the Special Services Group and FBI left for Bannu, bordering Afghanistan on Sunday in search of Amjad Farooqi, who is believed to have planned the attacks.
Khan was imprisoned by the government last week under terrorism charges after trying to lead a student protest in Lahore.
Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani "gave his word" on Sunday to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz that his government will not extend any help to former president Pervez Musharraf to defend himself in any court of law as they agreed to bridge the "trust deficit" between the parties.
McCormack told media persons on Monday that the US understood the concerns of Afghanistan on cross-border terrorism and that there has been an increase in Taliban activities over the recent months.
Cricket legend-turned politician Imran Khan on Friday said that Pakistan is doomed for the next five years of dictatorship if President Pervez Musharraf comes back to power after the election slated for February 18.
