Politics
Pakistan: Government says it has proof al-Qaeda killed Bhutto
Islamabad, 28 Dec. (AKI) - Pakistan's interior ministry said on Friday it had intelligence proving that al-Qaeda assassinated opposition politician Benazir Bhutto. Pakistani intelligence services had intercepted a call from wanted pro-Taliban militant leader Baitullah Mehsud in which he allegedly congratulated another militant after Bhutto's death, the interior ministry stated.
"There is irrefutable evidence that al-Qaeda, its networks and cohorts were trying to destabilise Pakistan," interior ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said at a press conference on Friday, at which he presented the transcript of Mehsud's phonecall.
The interior ministry described Mehsud as an "al-Qaeda leader". However, retired spymaster Gen. Hamid Gul said it was not certain that al-Qaeda had killed Butto.
"They may or may not be involved. However this is a prevalent trend - to blame al-Qaeda and then brush everything everything under the carpet," Gul commented.
"The US's War on Terror is already in hot water. The real issue is how to overcome the political crisis in the country," he continued.
"If it deepens and [Pakistan's president Pervez] Musharraf did not take the necessary steps like resigning from the government , the military may intervene in Pakistan,” Gul added.
Cheema said Bhutto (photo) had died on Thursday from a fractured skull sustained when she tried to duck her attacker and hit her head against her car's sunroof lever. He said all possible security arrangements had been put in place for Bhutto.
He denied earlier reports that she had been shot in the neck and hit by shrapnel after a suicide bomber blew himself up close to her campaign convoy in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
"There was no bullet or metal shrapnel found in the injury," Cheema stated.
A video of Bhutto's last moments before the attack was shown at the news conference in Islamabad.
Bhutto's security adviser, Rehman Malik had earlier said she had been shot in the neck and chest by a gunman.
No post-mortem was carried out, and Bhutto was buried on Friday near her father's grave in her ancestral homeland in southern Sindh province on Friday, a few hours before the press conference.
Security forces in Pakistan have been put on high alert in major cities following the violence that swept the country after Bhutto's slaying, in which at least 11 people have died.
Police in Sindh province have been given orders to shoot rioters on sight. Banks, petrol pumps and shops have been looted and cars, telephone exchanges and even markets set on fire.
Paramilitary troops and army contingents were deployed to control the situation at Friday prayers.
Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was due to meet on Sunday in Butto's home city of Larkana to discuss the election of a new party leader.
The general election will go ahead as planned on 8 January, Pakistan's interim prime minister Mohammedmian Soomro stated.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said his opposition party will boycott the polls. Sharif has called on Musharraf to resign.
"There is irrefutable evidence that al-Qaeda, its networks and cohorts were trying to destabilise Pakistan," interior ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said at a press conference on Friday, at which he presented the transcript of Mehsud's phonecall.
The interior ministry described Mehsud as an "al-Qaeda leader". However, retired spymaster Gen. Hamid Gul said it was not certain that al-Qaeda had killed Butto.
"They may or may not be involved. However this is a prevalent trend - to blame al-Qaeda and then brush everything everything under the carpet," Gul commented.
"The US's War on Terror is already in hot water. The real issue is how to overcome the political crisis in the country," he continued.
"If it deepens and [Pakistan's president Pervez] Musharraf did not take the necessary steps like resigning from the government , the military may intervene in Pakistan,” Gul added.
Cheema said Bhutto (photo) had died on Thursday from a fractured skull sustained when she tried to duck her attacker and hit her head against her car's sunroof lever. He said all possible security arrangements had been put in place for Bhutto.
He denied earlier reports that she had been shot in the neck and hit by shrapnel after a suicide bomber blew himself up close to her campaign convoy in the garrison town of Rawalpindi.
"There was no bullet or metal shrapnel found in the injury," Cheema stated.
A video of Bhutto's last moments before the attack was shown at the news conference in Islamabad.
Bhutto's security adviser, Rehman Malik had earlier said she had been shot in the neck and chest by a gunman.
No post-mortem was carried out, and Bhutto was buried on Friday near her father's grave in her ancestral homeland in southern Sindh province on Friday, a few hours before the press conference.
Security forces in Pakistan have been put on high alert in major cities following the violence that swept the country after Bhutto's slaying, in which at least 11 people have died.
Police in Sindh province have been given orders to shoot rioters on sight. Banks, petrol pumps and shops have been looted and cars, telephone exchanges and even markets set on fire.
Paramilitary troops and army contingents were deployed to control the situation at Friday prayers.
Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) was due to meet on Sunday in Butto's home city of Larkana to discuss the election of a new party leader.
The general election will go ahead as planned on 8 January, Pakistan's interim prime minister Mohammedmian Soomro stated.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said his opposition party will boycott the polls. Sharif has called on Musharraf to resign.
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