Scotland Yard’s team to assist in Benazir’s murder probe: Musharraf

President Pervez Musharraf Wednesday announced to invite a British team of Scotland Yard to assist Government’s investigators in conducting the probe into the assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

Addressing the nation live on State and private TV channels, the President also announced to form a commission to assess the damage suffered by the people in the recent riots following the incident of Ms Bhutto’s killing.

“It is essential to go into details of how Ms Benazir Bhutto was martyred. It is necessary to remove the nation’s confusion over the manner in which she was assassinated,” he said, adding, “I request media not to add to this confusion.”

President Pervez Musharraf said Scotland Yard has been requested to send its investigation team to Pakistan. The team will arrive here shortly and assist our investigators engaged in the probe of Ms Bhutto’s murder, he added.

“In this regard I thank the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown who accepted our request,” he said.

“I hope the high level investigation into the murder case of Ms Bhutto will help remove all the doubts.”

Mentioning the names of Baitullah Mehsud and Maulana Fazlullah, he said the same quarters are also involved in Benazir’s assassination.

President Musharraf called Benazir a martyr and said her mission has always been his mission as well. He said that he would now carry forward her struggle for democracy and the fight against terrorism.

He said the demise of Ms Bhutto caused the situation to deteriorate to such extent that it led to fill the overall atmosphere with uncertainty.

“I realize the grief of Ms Bhutto’s sad demise permeates the rank and file of Pakistan Peoples Party as well as my Sindhi brothers and sisters,” President Musharraf pointed out, adding “I am also grieved and annoyed over this tragic incident.”

He said he fully valued the sentiments of the whole nation.

He pointed out that when the whole nation particularly the PPP was expressing their shock and anger, some miscreants, mobs and political elements resorted to plundering and causing damage to the public and private property. As a result the whole nation had suffered huge losses amounting to hundreds of billions rupees.

The President said this situation could not be tolerated and action and stopped by taking a prompt action in this regard. He directed to take action against the negligent authorities.

He said people who suffered damage will be compensated. For this I have ordered to constitute a commission to assess the damage caused by the violence and rioting in the country following the assassination of Ms Bhutto.