PAKISTAN: Police say they have found 50 kg (110 lb) of explosives hidden in a car near the residence where former president Pervez Musharraf is under house arrest

Record ID: 359506

  • Title: PAKISTAN: Police say they have found 50 kg (110 lb) of explosives hidden in a car near the residence where former president Pervez Musharraf is under house arrest
  • Date: 23rd April 2013
  • Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (APRIL 23, 2013) (REUTERS) POLICEMEN STANDING OUTSIDE POLICE STATION "POLICE STATION, SHAHZAD TOWN, ISLAMABAD" WRITTEN ON WALL OF POLICE STATION POLICEMEN PUSHING EXPLOSIVES LADEN CAR WHICH WAS FOUND NEAR FARMHOUSE WHERE FORMER PRESIDENT PERVEZ MUSHARRAF IN UNDER HOUSE ARREST, AFTER IT WAS CLEARED OF EXPLOSIVES BOMB DISPOSAL SQUAD (BDS) WORKERS CARRYING
  • Embargoed: 8th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABLW7723YYYWT2JA4P62ENYNE5
  • Story Text: Pakistani police said on Tuesday (April 23) they found 50 kg (110 lb) of explosives hidden in a car near the residence where former president Pervez Musharraf is under house arrest.
    Video footage showed a bomb disposal squad examining a car near the farmhouse on the edge of the capital Islamabad where the former army chief was detained last week over allegations he had overstepped his powers while in office.
    A Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) defused the explosives before the vehicle was shifted to a police station near the farm house.
    A BDS constable Rehmat Ali told Reuters Television there was 50 kg (110 lb) of explosives inside the car which had been attached to various parts of the car.

    "Rescue 15 received a call at 6:02 pm. By 6:15 pm we arrived at the site. When we checked the car, we smelled explosives. On unlocking one of the doors, we saw a detonator cord inside the car. There were two remote devises attached to the detonator which we disconnected. Then we diffused the remote devices. After that we disconnected wires which had been connected to the battery of the car, and other parts of the car like the seats and the doors," Ali said.
    There was no immediate word from police on who they suspected might have planted the explosives, but they said security has been beefed up around the farmhouse.
    Pakistan's Taliban movement have threatened to kill Musharraf, who returned from almost four years of self-imposed exile last month in the hope of relaunching his political career at general elections on May 11.
    Instead, election officials disqualified him from running and judges ordered he be placed under house arrest to face a hearing next month over allegations he unlawfully ordered the detention of judges in 2007 when he was still in office.
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