Musharraf denies involvement in Bhutto assassination

Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has denied allegations about his involvement in the assassination of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, saying President Asif Ali Zardari knows who killed her.

Reacting to remarks made by Interior Minister Rehman Malik yesterday during a briefing on the assassination in the Sindh Assembly, Musharraf told TV news channels that the security of political leaders was the responsibility of provincial governments and not the federal government.

Matters related to Bhutto's security were handled by workers of her Pakistan People's Party, he said. He contended that Bhutto's widower, President Asif Ali Zardari, knew who had killed her.

He said he had informed Bhutto before her return to Pakistan from self-exile in 2007 about the threats she faced. "Benazir did not consider me to be a threat," Musharraf said.

During the briefing in the Sindh Assembly, Malik said the PPP-led government will bring Musharraf back to Pakistan through Interpol to face trial for his alleged role in failing to provide adequate security to Bhutto at the time of her assassination.

Khalid Qureshi, the officer heading the investigation into Bhutto's assassination by a suicide bomber in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007, said Musharraf was named in the chargesheet he had failed to provide the "VVIP security" that Bhutto was entitled to as a two-time former premier.

However, Musharraf claimed that Interpol will not get involved in the matter. He criticised the government's report on the assassination, saying it was unfounded.