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Benazir murder - UN probe team to question Musharraf next month
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=23661
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
By Qudssia Akhlaque
ISLAMABAD: The UN Commission inquiring into the assassination of Pakistans two-time prime minister Benazir Bhutto will be interviewing former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf next month contrary to the mixed indications coming from the ruling PPP-led government.
It appears that the inquiry commission is clear as it has already stated in the past that it will be interviewing former president Pervez Musharraf, who is currently residing in London. According to sources close to the UN Commission, the interview may be conducted some time in September, most likely in London.
Whether in Pakistan or London the three-member commission will definitely interview Pakistans former military ruler in person, these sources maintain.The commission, which will go by its own mandate, is known to believe that its work will be incomplete without interviewing a principal, important and perhaps the most authoritative personality in Pakistan when the tragic and bloody murder of Benazir Bhutto took place.
The commission, headed by Chiles Permanent Representative to the UN and former Chilean deputy foreign minister, Ambassador Heraldo Munoz, is known to be quite determined about conducting the inquiry in a credible manner since all its members and especially the
chairperson, have a reputation to guard. The other two members of the commission are: Marzuki Darusman, a former attorney-general of Indonesia and Peter Fitzgerald, a veteran of the Irish National Police.
Interviewing Gen (retd) Musharraf, observers believe, should not be a problem since the mandate of the commission does include interviews with key players of the Musharraf era. Indeed Gen (retd) Musharraf cannot be overlooked by the inquiry commission, key observers maintain.
The commission, which commenced its six-month mandate on July 1, 2009, visited Pakistan in mid July. During their week-long stay, its members called on President Asif Zardari and held a separate meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Reportedly, it was conveyed to the commission by the president that the government had carried out its own investigations and the findings would be shared with the UN investigators.
Earlier, in July a UN technical team assisting the commission also arrived here and stayed back to carry forward their work.The mandate of the international commission, which was agreed between the UN and the government of Pakistan, is a limited one and fact-finding in nature. It will not exceed six months and will not extend to conducting a criminal investigation or determining criminal responsibility of the perpetrators. In accordance with the agreed terms of reference, the commission will merely inquire into the facts and circumstances of the assassination of Ms Bhutto and the responsibility for investigating the crime and prosecuting the perpetrators remains with the Pakistani authorities.
The commission will submit a report to the UN secretary-general within six months of its actual starting of work. He will then share the report with government of Pakistan and submit it to the Security Council for information. However, there is an understanding that the UN secretary-general will not make the report public or submit it to the Security Council before first clearing it with the government, according to informed sources. Given that the commission began its work on July 1, it is expected to submit the report before the end of December.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=23661
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
By Qudssia Akhlaque
ISLAMABAD: The UN Commission inquiring into the assassination of Pakistans two-time prime minister Benazir Bhutto will be interviewing former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf next month contrary to the mixed indications coming from the ruling PPP-led government.
It appears that the inquiry commission is clear as it has already stated in the past that it will be interviewing former president Pervez Musharraf, who is currently residing in London. According to sources close to the UN Commission, the interview may be conducted some time in September, most likely in London.
Whether in Pakistan or London the three-member commission will definitely interview Pakistans former military ruler in person, these sources maintain.The commission, which will go by its own mandate, is known to believe that its work will be incomplete without interviewing a principal, important and perhaps the most authoritative personality in Pakistan when the tragic and bloody murder of Benazir Bhutto took place.
The commission, headed by Chiles Permanent Representative to the UN and former Chilean deputy foreign minister, Ambassador Heraldo Munoz, is known to be quite determined about conducting the inquiry in a credible manner since all its members and especially the
chairperson, have a reputation to guard. The other two members of the commission are: Marzuki Darusman, a former attorney-general of Indonesia and Peter Fitzgerald, a veteran of the Irish National Police.
Interviewing Gen (retd) Musharraf, observers believe, should not be a problem since the mandate of the commission does include interviews with key players of the Musharraf era. Indeed Gen (retd) Musharraf cannot be overlooked by the inquiry commission, key observers maintain.
The commission, which commenced its six-month mandate on July 1, 2009, visited Pakistan in mid July. During their week-long stay, its members called on President Asif Zardari and held a separate meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Reportedly, it was conveyed to the commission by the president that the government had carried out its own investigations and the findings would be shared with the UN investigators.
Earlier, in July a UN technical team assisting the commission also arrived here and stayed back to carry forward their work.The mandate of the international commission, which was agreed between the UN and the government of Pakistan, is a limited one and fact-finding in nature. It will not exceed six months and will not extend to conducting a criminal investigation or determining criminal responsibility of the perpetrators. In accordance with the agreed terms of reference, the commission will merely inquire into the facts and circumstances of the assassination of Ms Bhutto and the responsibility for investigating the crime and prosecuting the perpetrators remains with the Pakistani authorities.
The commission will submit a report to the UN secretary-general within six months of its actual starting of work. He will then share the report with government of Pakistan and submit it to the Security Council for information. However, there is an understanding that the UN secretary-general will not make the report public or submit it to the Security Council before first clearing it with the government, according to informed sources. Given that the commission began its work on July 1, it is expected to submit the report before the end of December.
