Kayani had doubts about TTP involvement in Benazir’s death: UN investigator

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Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani had expressed doubts about a claim by the regime of former president Pervez Musharraf that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a UN investigator has said.

Kayani indicated he had wondered whether slain TTP chief Baitullah Mehsud had organised the assassination, as was claimed by an Interior Ministry spokesman at a news conference a day after Benazir’s death on December 27, 2007.

Musharraf’s government based its claim on an intercept of a conversation between Mehsud and another man that was provided by the Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

Kayani said the press conference had been “premature”, adding, “It should not have been done.”

“One cannot conclude culpability solely on a phone intercept,” Kayani has been quoted as saying by Chilean diplomat Heraldo Munoz, who headed a UN panel that investigated Benazir’s assassination.

Kayani also considered the performance of the Rawalpindi police after the assassination to have been “amateur”, the diplomat writes in his new book “Getting Away With Murder”, excerpts from which were released on Monday.

The army chief was referring to the hosing down of the crime scene within hours of Benazir being killed by a suicide bomber.

“If in 24 hours you don’t completely secure the scene, then you lose the threads to solve a case,” Kayani told Munoz during a meeting in Rawalpindi on February 25, 2010.

25 COMMENTS

  1. These statements coming from a man who will say and do anything to get an extension on his job blocking the way for a lot of other capable Generals. Kiayani is a disgrace to the noble profession of armed services.

  2. Kiyani is not dual national. I think he is holding just 1 passport.
    So he can say whatever he like in the country he is serving.
    Like you said which I can think is just a steam no meaning.
    He probably be just letting his team out.
    Sorry no hard feeling for you Pakistani nationality.

  3. It would appear that Kayani is discretely acknowledging that there was indeed a cover up by Musharraf's minions. He also makes it clear that he doubted the so-called 'proof' attributing the murder to Baitullah Mahsood.
    The question is: Why would a very senior Musharraf-appointed intelligence official order the police to hose down a scene of a major crime before a detailed forensic examination could be carried out? What were they trying to hide?

    It smells of culpability.

    • the crime scene of benazir murder was not out side it was inside the vehicle she and her other fellows were not effected by bomb blast ''out side on road''. so please dont mix up the blast and the bulit that killed benazir .further more musharraf did not ask benazir to break the security protocol and take her head out from escape door.SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HER DEATH ,,she took a chance and got killed .JUST THINK IF AND AGAIN IF SHE KEPT SITTING IN SIDE VEHICLE ,,most probably she would have been the P.M and Musharraf the president .

  4. As everyone knows that Kayani is realistic commander and what Kayani had expressed about its doubts pertaining to TTP involvement in BB murder case and the press conference had been “premature”, adding, “It should not have been done is seems to believe right.

  5. As General Kayani is the Chief Of Army Staff of Pakistan, I guess he is the most respectable and if he gave such statements than there must be some truth behind it. I agree with him and I have also doubt on Taliban involvement in Benazir murder and by only listening to some phone doesn't mean that Taliban are involved in it anyone can make such phone call.

  6. Being President Gen Musharraf is responsible for maintaining the security of Benazir Bhutto and I think that this all happened due to the lack of security and there is General Musharraf involvement in her assassination not Taliban.

    • Security does not mean that you jump into fire and expect the security to protect.She knew about the threat.Gen Musharraf did not ask her to come out through the sun roof.To my mind she asked for it.

  7. I am really sorry to hear it from you Kayani. Have you read Benazir's biography? I do not condone her killing, but she walked into the viper's den with her eyes open. Musharraf has warned her not to do so. Bilawal is smarter than her mother. And why no one is asking any question about the killing of her own brother in broad daylight. She was the prime minister then? How many dead bodies we are going to exhume?

  8. The question is why did BB stick her head out of her ill gotten, bullett proof and bomb proof Land Cruiser? Did Musharraf made her do it? NO. She was safe for two nad a half hours while she was ranting and raving in her jalsa. She only got hurt once she stood up and stuck her head out otherwise she would have been fine. Why did Rehman Malik speed off to zardari's house in Islamabad right after her killing? Was it to tell him that the job was done? Why is Musharraf being held responsible for her murder? If we appy the same rule, then zardari, nawaz and all other past prime ministers and presidents are responsible for every murder in the country. These SC judges are out to get Musraffar because he exposed the kana pco judge's corruption.

  9. It was Musharraf who toppled Sharif's government in the 1999 coup, and memories of that time are still fresh in the current administration. Sharif was sentenced to a life in jail by Musharraf but was eventually allowed to go into exile. Now the statement of General Kayani is linked politically with that old rivalry. I think General Kayani made a political deal with Sharif’s government.

  10. So General Kayani Will HERALDO MUÑOZ statement about Musharraf being the culprits’ aide in Benazir killing is enough to say that u have doubts in Taliban involvement in Benazir murder I don’t think so sir. Disagree with you totally.

  11. General Kayani is going to take some revenge from his ex-boss by giving this type of statement that he has doubt in Taliban involvement in Benazir murder in other words he is saying that Benazir murder involves Musharraf, well I disagree with General Kayani because Ex-President Musharraf gave the threat warning to Benazir Bhutto which shows he want her to stay safe.

  12. Gen kayani if you think that this murder was done due to lack of security and it’s the fault of Musharraf than you are wrong because President is not responsible to arrange security measures for everyone. Your doubts on Taliban involvement indicates that you are highly paid or you have committed some deal with someone.

  13. I disagree with General Kayani doubts because there is the phone call that intelligence has traced is the proof that Taliban were involved in Benazir murder. In spite of the fact that the proof is present giving such type of statements is ridiculous.

  14. This government needs a scapegoat and who could be better than General Musharraf to place on the altar. He undoubtly serves the purpose of ''Outsiders'' who felt Benazir would be a great hinderance in the AfPak War! From her own coterie there were those who felt her presence would isolate them.Benazir like her father's ADC was sacrificed for a vested interest by those who can place a '' HammerShark '' across the wall and say '' This one never got away but we did.''

  15. General Kayani can do anything to extend his tenure…he allowed PPP to destroy the economy of pakistan

  16. It is amazing.The THEN ISI DG has doubts about an important event.I think he should join PML N.

    • Hahaaha , he is already in PML-N , This is the first time in the history of pakistan that an Army Chief pays a visit to a '' may be future prime minister ''(before his HALLAF taking) in his house and enjoys a DINNER as well .Was it to show his support for Nawaz or ………..
      An other point was braught up by musharraf that BB's cell phone went missing for 2 years and its well known fact that after she was hit by a bullet she remained in the charge of PPP elders.If the cell was dropped in side the vehical then again she was accompanied by her PPP friends.No body raised this point in any investigation.

  17. I agree with general kayani’s statement but it is premature to comment on the issue without reading the final report of UN on Benazir murder and the book to know the context of Kayani’s view point. He is a responsible person and holds an important post, so his statement carries weight. We should not politicized him on our own likings and dislikings. The case was poorly investigated by the Mush and Zardari regimes.

  18. So, after all self-interest prevailed over national interest or anything resembling principles, but then Kayani is just another one of us driven by ego and populism. I'm glad that Kayani removed his mask himself personally without waiting for someone else to do let us see his real face.

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