• Home
• /
• World

Musharraf gave opportunity for Benazir’s murder, says chargesheet

ISLAMABAD - A detailed chargesheet presented in Rawalpindi’s Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday includes former President Pervez Musharraf and Baitullah Mehsud as those directly involved in the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had earlier submitted an interim chargesheet in the ATC on Monday in which Musharraf was declared as absconder.
The detailed chargesheet says that there was a planned conspiracy behind Benazir’s assassination, adding that Musharraf provided Baitullah with the opportunity to carry out suicide attacks on Benazir.
The document says Baitullah provided two suicide bombers for the attack who had arrived in Rawalpindi from South Waziristan. It also mentions Benazir’s email and a BlackBerry SMS in which she said Musharraf would be responsible if anything happens to her.
While submitting the interim chargesheet, public prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar had said, “The former president will be declared an absconder if he avoids appearing before the court.”
According to a forensic report on the data retrieved from the recently-found personal BlackBerry phones of Benazir had revealed that she was given a firm assurance from the highest authorities in both Pakistan and the United States that she would be the next prime minister after the 2007 general elections.
The latest investigation report compiled by the FIA investigation team probing the Benazir murder case also came down hard on Pervez Musharraf.
The report compiled by head of investigation team Khalid Qureshi says: “Musharraf was equally responsible for facilitation and abetment of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto through his government and justified failure in providing her the requisite security protection that her status demanded twice. There was a security lapse.”
The fresh report is likely to be submitted to Interior Minister by end of this week. The report also says: “Musharraf himself appointed Saud Aziz on assignment in Rawalpindi on April 10, 2008.”
mafzalkhan@yahoo.com

• Pakistan