ISLAMABAD: The intention and sincerity of the Pakistan People’s Party government to expand the investigation into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto will be clear only if all those she had named in her letter are also served a questionnaire similar to the one FIA sent to former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf.
Political circles have termed the government’s decision to expand the investigation by involving Musharraf a political gimmick to hoodwink the people and divert their attention from burning issues.
“Will the FIA send a similar questionnaire to PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi?” asked a disgruntled PPP leader requesting not to be named. It is understood that such a move will surely spoil the courtship between the PPP and the PML-Q, and insiders say the government would not probe Elahi for political interests.
On Monday, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said in Karachi that the questionnaires would be dispatched to all people mentioned in Benazir’s letter to Musharraf.
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had written a letter to then president Musharraf on October 16, 2007 saying former ISI chief Lt Gen (r) Hameed Gul, former IB chief Brig (r) Ejaz Shah and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would be responsible if she was assassinated on her arrival in Pakistan.
The three were also named in FIR No 213/08 registered under Sections 302, 324, 427, 34PPC, 3/4, 109 and 102b. A source in FIA said that instead of sending questionnaires to Gul, Elahi and Shah, FIA officials would personally visit the three to interrogate them.
“The questionnaire was dispatched to Musharraf as he was inaccessible,” he said, adding that so far the FIA had not been given a go-ahead by the Interior Ministry to question Elahi. However, FIA has already interrogated Gen (r) Hamid Gul. A source in the PML-Q claimed that the understanding between the PPP and PML-Q had reached a stage at which the government or its subordinate organisations would neither send any questionnaire nor interrogate Elahi.
“In fact, the Chaudhrys in their exclusive meeting with President Zardari last year in January had clarified their position in this case,” he said, adding that the Benazir assassination case and Punjab Bank loan scam were the main factors which compelled the Chaudhrys to develop cordial relations with the PPP.
Gul said he had not received any such questionnaire yet. “Around three to four months back, FIA officials met me and asked a few questions regarding Benazir’s assassination and I answered them with an open heart,” he said, adding that before FIA’s inquiry, Rehman Malik had telephoned him seeking his permission.
DG FIA Waseem Ahmed said the agency had not yet dispatched the questionnaire to Musharraf. He said questionnaires to others named in the case would be sent if needed.
