Pervez Musharraf planned Benazir Bhutto kill?

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Former Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf orchestrated the assassination of two-time Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007, a probe ordered by the interior ministry has revealed.

Television channel Waqt News, claiming to have a copy of the probe report, said Musharraf used two police officers and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan leader Baitullah Mehsud.

It said the report, to be submitted before the Sindh provincial Assembly, says a cell was established in room number 96 of Haqqania madrassa in Akora Khattak to plan the murder and students of the seminary were in contact with Mehsud.

“But the plot was originally finalised in Waziristan, while Baitullah executed the al-Qaeda orders on December 27, 2007, and assigned various groups the task to carry out suicide bombings with the assistance of Pervez Musharraf and the two police officers.”

The report further says Bhutto did not enter into any deal with Musharraf, who tried to stop her from flying back to the country. President Asif Ali Zardari was also asked to cancel her return, it adds.

The report says 16 terrorists were involved in the assassination. Of these, five, including two top cops, have been arrested, six have been killed and three are at large.

Musharraf’s All-Pakistan Muslim League rejected the findings, saying the government spent Rs 600 million on a baseless report.

'Mush offered no security'

The report also mentions that Musharraf did not offer any security to Bhutto, which resulted in problems during her visits to Rahim Yar Khan, Larkana and Sukkur, while the jammers provided to her also went out of order.

It said Nadir Khan, alias Qari Ismail, a close associate of Baitullah Mehsud, formed a cell at the Haqqani Madrasa, comprising Nasrullah, alias Ahmed, Ibadur Rehman, Nauman, Usman alias Farooq and Husnain Gul alias Ali. They met Baitullah in Waziristan.

Later, Husnain introduced the bombers, Saeed, alias Bilal, and Ikramullah, to his cousin, Rifaqat Hussain, who have them accommodation in Rawalpindi, before they were taken to Liaquat Bagh.

The TV channel said on the night between Dec. 27 and 28, 2007, Husnain and Rifaqat visited Nasrullah and arranged lodging for the two bombers at Rifaqat’s house, where Abdullah alias Saddam, Ibadur Rehman and Faiz Mohammad, alias Casket, provide suicide jackets to them.

It says Saeed first fired a gunshot at Bhutto and later caused an explosion, while Ikram was also ready in case Saeed missed the target.

On the other hand, had Bhutto left the venue from the other route, an extra group of attackers were deployed there to assassinate the popular leader.

The report says Ibad and Ikram fled after the attack and Mr Musharraf and the police officers provided continuous help to them.