Former president General (retired) Pervez Musharraf has been declared a ‘proclaimed offender’ by an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi in the Benazir Bhutto murder case. The court was compelled to do so by his non-cooperation with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) during the investigations into the murder. According to the prosecutor, due to Musharraf’s non-cooperation, the trial of five suspects has been on hold for several months. Since General (retired) Musharraf is out of the reach of the investigators as well as the court’s jurisdiction after it was deposed in court that there was no extradition treaty with Britain where he resides, the court has declared him a proclaimed offender on the plea of the prosecution. All Pakistan Muslim League Punjab chapter’s general secretary Fawad Chaudhry responded by saying there was no legal ground for this verdict and that Musharraf’s opponents are trying to drag him into this case. No matter how Musharraf’s party and his well-wishers try to defend him, the fact of the matter is that he was at the helm of affairs when the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in broad daylight in Rawalpindi. In fact, all the leads of the investigation point to him and his aides for their acts of omission and commission in this incident and in its aftermath. Mere statements cannot absolve him of his responsibility and involvement. Not only for Benazir Bhutto’s murder, General (retired) Musharraf has to answer for many other atrocities committed during his tenure, including the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti, launching of a military operation in Balochistan, embroiling Pakistan in a neo-jihadi movement of the ‘good Taliban’ while going after the ‘bad Taliban’, undermining institutions of the state and much more. Musharraf has announced that he would come to Pakistan on March 23, 2012 to organise his party and prepare for the next elections. However, public memory is not so short. Not only will he have to face the anti-terrorism court, but also the court of the public and will have to answer for his wrongdoings. Perhaps it is not a gainful proposition to leave behind a luxurious life in London and enter the minefield of politics in Pakistan. He would be better off if he avoids the latter. *