Pakistan mulls action against Musharraf after Bhutto report

As a UN panel blamed the then Musharraf regime for failing to provide effective security to slain ex-premier Benazir Bhutto....

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

We welcome the UN (commissions) 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 peoples wish that the killers of (Bhutto) should be arrested. This is also our endeavour and it will be done, he said.

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

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

Malik said a Pakistani investigation team would further probe Bhuttos assassination in the light of the UN commissions report.

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

Malik also blamed the former government of Punjab province for failing to provide adequate security to Bhutto. Blaming the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for not providing security to Bhutto is irrelevant because it is the responsibility of the government and not party workers,he contended.

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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 Bhuttos security.

The PPPs 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 responsible for protecting Bhutto have already been removed from active duty. The government also terminated the contractual employment of former Interior Ministry spokesman Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema.

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,which prevents people from leaving the country.