Benazir Bhutto assassination theories behind murder; who killed? She feared elements of the so-called establishment, including people linked to the intelligence services.
Benazir Bhutto highly distrusted individuals like Hamid Gul who she was convinced — maintained active ties with jihadists.
Who ordered Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, which occurred seven years ago this December?
Was it former Pakistan army chief-turned-president Pervez Musharraf, whom the late
A sensational new book, Getting Away With Murder, by Heraldo Munoz, an investigator on the United Nations-led team.
That probed the political assassination, claims that Bhutto feared elements of the Pakistani establishment, including people linked to the intelligence services.
Benazir Bhutto assassination theories behind murder; who killed her?
Bhutto denounced three close associates of Musharraf as posing a clear threat to her security.
Former ISI director general Hamid Gul, Intelligence Bureau chief Ijaz Shah, and then Punjab province chief minister Pervaiz Elahi.
She then added a fourth person in the list.
Benazir Bhutto assassination theories behind murder; who killed her?
The Musharraf government considered Bhutto’s letter as purely political and did not lend credence to it.
One of them, Hamid Gul, expressed surprise that the investigators never questioned him in the assassination case.
Musharraf, in a conversation he had with Bhutto, had warned her that her security depended on the state of their mutual relationship.
Benazir sent an e-mail to (CNN journalist Wolf Blitzer — to released only if she were to be killed.
Where she affirmed that she would ‘hold Musharraf responsible’ for her death because she ‘made to feel insecure by his minions.’
Any penal responsibility has to be established in a court of law.
But Musharraf the political responsibility to effectively protect a former prime minister who faced clear threats, and he did not.
Perhaps! Benazir disappointed that the US and UK governments not pressurised Musharraf more forcefully to provide her with adequate security.
Particularly since they had stimulated her return in order to stabilise Pakistan.
The US embassy in Islamabad recommended the use of private security contractors.
But Benazir upset that the US unwilling or unable to persuade Musharraf from denying her the use of armed security.
Or give her the security she was entitled to as a former prime minister.
Benazir Bhutto assassination theories behind murder; who killed?
Pakistan has witnessed for the first time a civilian elected government completing its five-year term and handing over power to another democratically-elected government that of Nawaz Sharif. This is encouraging.
Benazir’s assassination may have marked a turning point in a popular demand for tangible strides in democratic governance, socio-economic development and the repudiation of violence and terrorism.
The country still has major development challenges that Benazir wanted to address.
She gone, but her dreams and aspirations not.
An anti-terrorist court in Rawalpindi, using the UN Commission of Inquiry report, opened an investigation into the Bhutto assassination.
Prosecuting and then arresting the local police authorities in charge of protecting Bhutto.
It also indicted Musharraf in a case that is still going on.
Adding to the mystery in the Bhutto case, state prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfikar Ali assassinated in May 2013.
As he driving to work for a hearing on the Bhutto case.
What role do you think the ISI played in this assassination?
That’s for the Pakistani courts to determine.
What is clear, however, is that Bhutto feared elements of the so-called establishment, including people linked to the intelligence services.
She highly distrusted individuals like Gul who — she convinced — maintained active ties with jihadists.
After the Karachi bomb attack against her, hours after landing in Pakistan from exile, she denounced a larger conspiracy involving ‘elements from within the Pakistani intelligence service.’
Benazir Bhutto assassination theories behind murder; who killed?
There no autopsy conducted despite the fact that after Benazir declared dead on three different occasions.
The doctor in charge at the hospital asked Rawalpindi police chief Saud Aziz for permission to conduct the procedure, which he was denied.
According to Pakistani law, the responsibility for initiating a post mortem examination falls on the police, not the hospital authorities.
Despite many conversations between Bhutto and Musharraf, a complete deal never reached.
Yet, she returned because she felt she had to campaign on the ground to ensure her party’s electoral victory.
Benazir knew the risks and threats that loomed over her, but found that there was no other way but to return to her homeland to lead a process of democratic recovery.
It may. If John F Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas 50 years ago still raises controversy.
And surrounded by doubts and mystery, I imagine that may also happen with the murder of Benazir Bhutto.
The book just just released, but it very well received.
Specialised journals like Kirkus and Library Journal have hailed it as an ‘eye-opening political expose’ and ‘readable and riveting’.
