Bhutto murder: UN panel says Gul refused to appear before it

Gul refused to be interviewed by the UN commission that probed the facts and circumstances of Bhutto’s assassination,the panel’s head,Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz,said.

The UN panel was initially told that Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and army were “off limits.”

Army and intelligence officials agreed to be interviewed only after the commission’s insistence,Munoz said in an interview to ‘Express 24/7’ news channel.

The panel met Musharraf during its probe but the interview was subject to the condition of confidentiality,Munoz said.

He also described as “inexcusable” and “irresponsible” the disappearance of a black Mercedes that was to have served as Bhutto’s back-up vehicle in case of an attack on her. The vehicle left the site in Rawalpindi after she was attacked by a suicide bomber on December 27,2007.

Senior PPP leaders Rehman Malik — currently the Interior Minister,Babar Awan — now the Law Minister and Farhatullah Babar were travelling in the bulletproof black Mercedes.

According to eyewitnesses,the Mercedes left Liaquat Bagh,the site of Bhutto’s rally in Rawalpindi,before her vehicle and was nowhere to be seen afterwards.

The UN commission said it was “incredible” that the occupants of the Mercedes drove all the way to Zardari House,some 20 minutes away,before they became aware that Bhutto had been injured in the attack.

The UN panel’s report has indicted the then Musharraf regime for failing to provide adequate security to Bhutto despite reports of numerous threats to her life. It has also highlighted several security lapses linked to the assassination.

The report described the Musharraf regime’s failure to protect Bhutto as “inexcusable.”