RAWALPINDI: Former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was indicted on three counts Tuesday in Rawalpindi's anti-terrorism court (ATC) over the 2007 murder of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf was also produced in the ATC amidst tight security during today’s hearing of the case headed by ATC judge Habibur Rehman.

A challan was read out against the former president and seven others nominated in Benazir’s murder during the hearing.

“He was charged with murder, criminal conspiracy for murder and facilitation for murder,” public prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar told AFP at the ATC in Rawalpindi hearing the case.

The seven accused persons include former City Police Officer (CPO) of Rawalpindi Saud Aziz, the then SP Khurram Shahzad, Hasnain Gul, Rafaqat Hussain, Sher Zaman, Abdul Rasheed and Aitzaaz Shah respectively.

Musharraf and the accused men denied the charges.

The court ordered the authorities to produce all the defendants in a hearing fixed for August 27 as it subsequently adjourned the matter to the said date for evidence to be brought.

Following the adjournment, the former president returned to his Chak Shahzad residence, which had been declared sub-jail.

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a gun-and-bomb attack outside Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007 while Musharraf was president. She was killed after addressing an election campaign rally in the city.