UN agrees to probe into Bhutto killing

PPP had demanded a UN investigation saying it did not trust the government enquiry

UNITED NATIONS: The UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has agreed to Pakistan’s request to constitute an independent commission to inquire into the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

But modalities and details are yet to be worked out for which the United Nations would hold consultations with Pakistan as also member States, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said after a 45-minute meeting with Ban on Thursday evening.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Qureshi said the commission will identify culprits, perpetrators, organisers and financiers behind the December 27 assassination of the Pakistan People’s Party leader during an election rally in Rawalpindi.

The PPP had demanded an UN-appointed independent inquiry saying it did not trust the government probe into the killing of their 54-year-old leader but the demand was rejected by president Pervez Musharraf. However, after emerging victorious in the February 18 elections, the PPP-led coalition government ensured that the National Assembly passed a resolution for an independent UN inquiry.

“A broad understanding has been reached on the nature of the commission, its funding mechanism and composition,” he said, adding that it would have access to all relevant information to reach its conclusions.

Asked about the time frame, Qureshi said Pakistan would like the inquiry to be completed in the shortest possible time period but it was not for Islamabad to dictate the timeframe. However, “the broad understanding is that it should be done in the shortest possible time. We do not want it to be going on for years,” he said.

Meanwhile, reports from Islamabad said that Qureshi assured Ban that the Pakistan government will provide the UN commission “unhindered access to sources of relevant information”.

Pakistan’s National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies have passed resolutions endorsing a probe by the UN. Following this, the government formally approached the UN though several political leaders and senior diplomats opposed the move, saying it could affect Pakistan’s sovereignty. The secretary general will appoint “well-respected, eminent people” to the commission in consultations with the Pakistan government, the Pakistani foreign minister said.

So far, five persons, including a teenaged would-be suicide bomber and his handler, have been arrested in connection with Bhutto’s assassination.