Musharraf to face "tricky" queries by FIA on Bhutto's killing
Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf will be confronted with key queries by Pakistani investigators on ex-premier Benazir Bhutto's killing like why no proper security cover was provided and why the crime scene was hosed hurriedly?
The investigators would demand answers from Mr Musharraf, the Express Tribune reported quoting officials, as they feel that the former ruler's answers could potentially change the course of investigations.
The Federal Investigation Agency seems to bent on sending the questionnaire even as a key aide to the former President has said that Mr Musharraf will not respond and may refuse to even receive it.
The paper said that Mr Musharraf, who now wants to return to Pakistan to re-enter politics, would also have to answer why no autopsy was done on the body of slain Ms Bhutto?
Another question thrown at the former military ruler would be as to what transpired at a crucial meeting held at the presidency on December 29, 2007, two says after Ms Bhutto's assassination.
The FIA, which is probing the gun-and-bomb attack that killed Ms Bhutto in December 2007, intends to send the questionnaire to Mr Musharraf, currently living self-exile in Britain.
According to the questionnaire, Mr Musharraf will be asked about the chronology of events that took place before and after Ms Bhutto was killed on December 27, 2007.
The Express Tribune quoted its sources as saying that the questionnaire — compiled by Mohammad Khalid Qureshi, who is the chief of FIA's Special Investigation Unit — has some "tricky" and "significant" queries.
A question asks Mr Musharraf whether he had ordered then interior ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema to hold a news conference after the assassination.
Another question asks Mr Musharraf whether he had been warned by any foreign government or agency about possible threats to Ms Bhutto’s life.
"It was learnt that Ms Benazir Bhutto told you that you (Musharraf) would be responsible if she suffered any harm in Pakistan. what is your response to that?" states another query.
Sources in the interior ministry said Interior minister Rehman Malik will decide whether the questionnaire will be amended or sent in its current form to Mr Musharraf.
An anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi is conducting the trial of five suspects arrested for alleged involvement in the assassination.
The accused are expected to be formally indicted at the next hearing scheduled for December 4.
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