UN studying letter from Pakistan on BB murder probe
The UN is studying a letter from the Pakistan government containing some comments and observations on BB's murder probe.
UNITED NATIONS:
The United Nations (UN) is studying a letter from the Pakistan government containing some comments and observations on the report of the UN commission on the 2007 assassinationof Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, a world body spokesman said on Tuesday.
The letter, whose details have not been made public, was delivered to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's office by the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations in New York.
"The letter has been received and is being studied," Spokesman Martin Nesirky said in reply to a question at the regular briefing. Nesirky deflected a question whether the letter would be released as a UN document, repeating his earlier reply that it was under study.But other UN officials said it would be released since the government of Pakistan had requested its circulation among member states.
The three-member commission, whose mandate expired on March 31, unveiled it report on April 15, saying the security arrangements by Pakistan's federal and local authorities to protect Bhutto were "fatally insufficient and ineffective" and subsequent investigations into her death were prejudiced and involved a whitewash.
The UN commission of inquiry, appointed last year by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the request of the Pakistani Government, reached no conclusion as to the organizers and sponsors behind the attack in which a 15-year-old suicide bomber blew up Bhutto's vehicle in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007. But it found that the government was quick to blame local Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud and al Qaeda although Bhutto's foes potentially included elements from the establishment itself.
"A range of government officials failed profoundly in their efforts first to protect Bhutto and second to investigate with vigour all those responsible for her murder, not only in the execution of the attack, but also in its conception, planning and financing," the commission said.
"Responsibility for Bhutto's security on the day of her assassination rested with the federal government, the government of Punjab and the Rawalpindi District Police. None of these entities took necessary measures to respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced."
The United Nations (UN) is studying a letter from the Pakistan government containing some comments and observations on the report of the UN commission on the 2007 assassinationof Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, a world body spokesman said on Tuesday.
The letter, whose details have not been made public, was delivered to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's office by the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations in New York.
"The letter has been received and is being studied," Spokesman Martin Nesirky said in reply to a question at the regular briefing. Nesirky deflected a question whether the letter would be released as a UN document, repeating his earlier reply that it was under study.But other UN officials said it would be released since the government of Pakistan had requested its circulation among member states.
The three-member commission, whose mandate expired on March 31, unveiled it report on April 15, saying the security arrangements by Pakistan's federal and local authorities to protect Bhutto were "fatally insufficient and ineffective" and subsequent investigations into her death were prejudiced and involved a whitewash.
The UN commission of inquiry, appointed last year by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the request of the Pakistani Government, reached no conclusion as to the organizers and sponsors behind the attack in which a 15-year-old suicide bomber blew up Bhutto's vehicle in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007. But it found that the government was quick to blame local Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud and al Qaeda although Bhutto's foes potentially included elements from the establishment itself.
"A range of government officials failed profoundly in their efforts first to protect Bhutto and second to investigate with vigour all those responsible for her murder, not only in the execution of the attack, but also in its conception, planning and financing," the commission said.
"Responsibility for Bhutto's security on the day of her assassination rested with the federal government, the government of Punjab and the Rawalpindi District Police. None of these entities took necessary measures to respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced."
Meanwhile Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that Pakistan has asked the UN to provide evidence that was collected during BB's murder probe.
Talking to media outside the Parliament House, he said the government will release the investigation report to the public after getting evidence from the UN.
Malik said Pakistan has suffered from the menace of terrorism and it wants help from the global community to counter terror. He said Pakistan will discuss the issue of terrorism in talks with India during the upcoming Saarc conference in Islamabad.