Former interior minister Rehman Malik has come down hard on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), demanding action against the author of a book published by the outlawed militant organization.
TTP has claimed responsibility for the December 2007 assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto in the book.
Moreover, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader, in his letter addressed to Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, has also demanded that a request be made to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to deport Ikramullah—a surviving suicide bomber—and Abu Mansoor Asim Mufti Noor Wali, who is the author of ‘Inqilab Meshud South Waziristan: From British Raj to American Imperialism’.
The PPP Senator on Friday, while addressing a press conference at his residence in which he unveiled the letter, said: “Interrogation will further unearth the facts of the conspiracy behind assassination of Benazir Bhutto,” adding, “Interpol be also requested to issue Red Notices against Ikramullah and Wali, enabling Pakistan to request for deportation of these two TTP leaders.”
Former Interior Minister @SenRehmanMalik Press Conference https://t.co/3JS6z32POu
— SenRehmanMalik's Off (@RMOffice_) February 2, 2018
Malik said the author is a senior leader in the TTP group based in Afghanistan, and his claims have corroborated the investigation carried out by a joint investigation team (JIT) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that the TTP former chief Baitullah Mahsud ordered Bhutto’s assassination.
“It is for the first time that the Taliban have officially confessed to murdering Benazir Bhutto. As the book has made leading claims, therefore, it is necessary that investigation into the BB’s case be revisited,” he added. “According to the earlier investigations, one of the two suicide bombers provided by Baitullah was identified as Bilal who blew himself at Liaquat Bagh resulting in Shahadat of BB.”
He also revealed that “Ikramullah, the second suicide bomber, escaped from the scene and his current whereabouts have recently been reported in Afghanistan; he is presently in the area of Paktia, which falls under the control of Afghanistan.”
About the first attempt on Bhutto in Karachi, the writer has claimed that “prior to the return of Benazir Bhutto for elections of 2008, Baitullah Mehsud had already planned action against her as she was coming back to carry out plans against ‘Mujahideen-e-Islam’ as per desire of America.
“In order to frustrate the US plan, two suicide bombers namely Mohsin Mehsud and Rehmatullah Mehsud carried out suicide attacks on Benazir Bhutto at Karsaz, Karachi, in October 2007, which resulted in the killing of approximately 200 people but BB escaped the attack,” the PPP leader quoted the book.
The attack remained unsuccessful as the bombers deviated from the instructions, he added, and also demanding that the surviving suicide bombers and the TTP author must be investigated by Pakistani authorities and agencies on urgent basis for further investigation.