Pakistan’s Election Commissioner Chief Justice (retired) Qazi Muhammad Farooq also argued that the “month of Moharramul Haram is likely to commence from January 10 and as per reports received from the Chief Secretaries, there will be full-fledged commitment of security/law enforcement agencies towards maintaining peace and tranquility an the sanctity of the holy month, and as such, will not be available for performing election duties.”

Musharraf justified this decision to delay the polls to “whatever the date EC has decided” saying he was committed to holding “free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections.”

Even as life in Pakistan’s major cities of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi was returning to normalcy, PPP and PML (N) condemned the decision to defer the polls, whereas the pro-Musharraf PML(Q) approved of it.

Musharraf’s bid to get foreign help in Bhutto’s assassination comes at a time when questions are being raised over the government’s version of the circumstances of her death and Benazir’s Pakistan People’s Party demanding a foreign probe on the lines of the UN investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

“There have been new photo clips and video clips, there have been eyewitness accounts...they will be recorded and new evidence will be taken cognizance of,” Musharraf said. By late tonight, the British Foreign Office was quoted by BBC that the Scotland Yard team will be in Pakistan by this weekend.

Musharraf once again raised a finger towards Baitullah Masood from Waziristan for the assassination of Benazir, just as Masood was alleged to be responsible for various other terrorist acts in Pakistan. Warning people who were engaged in looting and arson, he said anyone found involved would be brought to book, including officers who were negligent on duty that day.

... contd.