An anti-terrorism court (ATC) announced the verdict in assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
In its verdict the ATC declared former army chief Pervez Musharraf as absconder, acquitted five accused, Aitzaz Shah, Sher Zaman, Abdul Rasheed, Rafaqat Hussain and Hasnain Gul due lack of evidence and Saud Aziz, who was the police chief in Rawalpindi at the time of Bhutto’s assassination, and former Rawal Town SP Khurram Shahzad, were sentenced to 17 years each and ordered to pay a fine of Rs0.5 million each.
The court also ordered confiscation of the movable and immovable property of Musharraf, who was implicated in the case in February 2011.
The court had earlier reserved verdict in the case of the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Wednesday after the counsels of the suspects concluded their arguments.
The ATC has been hearing the case for last nine years since Benazir Bhutto was assassinated during a public gathering at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007.
The verdict announced by ATC Judge Asghar Khan at Adiala Jail.
