Demands For UN Inquiry of Bhutto's Death Rejected By Musharraf

While Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf gave a warning to United States troops to keep out of the country, he had also rejected a United Nations probe into the assassination of opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto.

According to an interview with Le Figaro, a French newspaper, Musharraf said that Pakistan had its own institutions to carry out the investigation along with being assisted by Britain’s Scotland Yard. Musharraf said that he hopes the results of the investigation will be published before the vote in February. A call by the United Nations to launch an independent inquiry into Bhutto’s death had constantly been made by her son, Bilawal. Bilawal said that both the family and the Pakistan People’s Party do not believe that a government inquiry into Bhutto’s death had been effective. Musharraf rejected Bilawal’s demands for a UN inquiry. He said that Pakistan should not be compared to Lebanon. Currently, the UN is investigating the murder of Rafik Hariri, Lebanon’s former prime minister. “It is not possible. Is another country involved?” He added: “Pakistan is not Lebanon.” The UN inquiry had an initial finding that Syria played a role in Hariri’s assassination. However, Syria had denied the claim. Musharraf explains that there was an Al-Qaeda campaign to undermine Pakistan. But, he denied that Pakistan was going to plunge into violence. Over 50 people were killed in the chaotic violence ignited by Bhutto’s assassination.