Musharraf prosecutor, passer-by killed in hail of bullets

The abortive bid by former military President Pervez Musharaff to make a comeback in Pakistan politics hit another controversy today, when the chief prosecutor in one of the criminal cases against Gen Musharraf was killed in a murderous spray of bullets in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad.

A lady passer-by was killed along with Chaudhry Zulfikar, a prosecutor for the Federal Investigation Agency which is looking into the alleged involvement of Musharraf in the assassination of two-time former President Benazir Bhutto.

Zulfikar himself took multiple hits in his car in a drive-by shooting, and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. His bodyguard was also injured. No one has claimed responsibility.

Zulfikar was due to appear this morning at the Rawalpindi High Court for a hearing in Musharraf's trial over the Bhutto killing in 2007.

Musharraf, who as army chief seized power in a coup, was barred last month from standing for the 11 May elections.

He has been remanded in custody by three courts trying three separate charges against him; but he is not in jail. Rather, he is enjoying all mod cons at his luxurious house outside Islamabad.