'Action against Musharaff on Bhutto murder after concrete evidence'

As a UN panel blamed the then Musharraf regime for failing to provide effective security to slain ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan government has said it will take action against the former military ruler after concrete evidence is obtained in the matter.

"We welcome the UN (commission's) report because it is independent and transparent. The people already knew what the commission has pointed out," Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters.

"It is the people's wish that the killers of (Bhutto) should be arrested. This is also our endeavour and it will be done," he said yesterday.

The independent UN commission that probed the facts and circumstances of Bhutto's assassination has indicted the Musharraf regime for "failing" to provide effective security to her despite numerous threats to her life.

It also found several faults with the probe by Pakistani authorities into Bhutto's assassination in a gun-and-suicide attack on December 27, 2007.

Malik said a Pakistani investigation team would further probe Bhutto's assassination in the light of the UN commission's report.

The panel clearly mentioned in its report that Musharraf's government and security institutions were unsuccessful in providing security to Bhutto, he said.

The minister said action will be taken against Musharraf after concrete evidence is obtained with regard to the UN panel's findings.

Malik also blamed the former government of Punjab province for failing to provide adequate security to Bhutto.

Blaming the Pakistan People's Party for not providing security to Bhutto is irrelevant because it is the responsibility of the government and not party workers, he contended.

The UN panel's report accused intelligence agencies and some officials of hampering its investigation into Bhutto's assassination.

It also raised questions about Malik's role in providing security to Bhutto.

Meanwhile, a media report quoted sources in the PPP as saying that an FIR would be registered by the party against Musharraf, seven civil and police officials who have been removed from their posts and some PPP leaders who were held responsible for Bhutto's security.

The PPP's top leadership had decided during a meeting on Saturday to take legal action in the light of the UN report.

The meeting was chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari.

Six police and civil officials who were responsible for protecting Bhutto or involved in the probe into her assassination were removed from active duty.

The government also terminated the contractual employment of former Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (Retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema.

Cheema, who was holding the post of Director General of Civil Defence, had claimed that Bhutto had died after hitting her head on a lever in her bulletproof vehicle.

The names of these officials were included in the exit control list, a document with the names of people barred from travelling out of Pakistan.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said action was taken against these officials on the orders of prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The Nation daily reported that the names of former ISI chief Hamid Gul, ex-Intelligence Bureau head Ijaz Shah and former Interior Secretary Kamal Shah had also been placed on the Exit Control List.

However, there was no official word on the development.