‘Allegation against Musharraf of Benazir’s murder ridiculous’

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI - Ruling out any involvement of Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, his spokesperson has said the allegation was “ridiculous”.

Rashid Qureshi, spokesperson of former president Pervez Musharraf, has termed as ridiculousthe allegations of the assassination of Bhutto against Musharraf, saying the government is trying to involve Musharraf in every issue, Online news agency reported.

Pakistan’s former prime minister and leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was killed in a gun and suicide attack at an election rally in Rawalpindi in December 2007.

A recently concluded probe by a UN panel into the incident said the then government of President Musharraf did not provide adequate security to Bhutto and Pakistan police failed to investigate the murder effectively.

Responding to a question at Karachi airport, Qureshi said that Pervez Musharraf is in the process of registering his new poitical party.

Asked about the return of Musharraf in Pakistan, he said the former president would take the decision in this regard himself.

Meanwhile, a fact-finding committee, constituted to probe Bhutto’s assassination after submission of the UN Commissions’ report, will present its report to Prime Minist Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday.

The committee headed by the secretary of the Cabinet Division, Abdul Rauf, was constituted by the prime minister April 24 and was asked to complete the investigation within seven working days.

During the investigation, the fact-finding team visited Benazir’s assassination site, besides quizzing and recording statement of then City Police Officer (CPO) Saud Aziz, SSP Operations Yasin Farooq, and other senior officials assigned to handle security of Bhutto at the rally.