Benazir's husband rejects govt's 'explosive' claims

CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD: Benazir's husband and children flew in from Dubai for the funeral.

          

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New Delhi: On Thursday, the world was shocked by the daring assassination of former Pakistan prime minister and dynastic scion Benazir Bhutto. Twenty-four hours later, Pakistan government added another twist to the tale, claiming the Pakistan People’s Party president was not shot but died of a head injury.

In a news conference held late on Friday night, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry spokesperson Javed Cheema said Benazir had no bullet injuries on her body as the shots fired at her missed her.

The government insists it was the impact of the suicide blast that resulted in her falling and hitting a lever of her vehicle’s sunroof. The medical report also says the fall resulted in a skull fracture and that caused Benazir’s death. The Pakistan government also released the video of her last moments.

“When she saw the crowd and people shouting slogans and cheering for her, she opened the sunroof of her vehicle and came out. She started waving to the crowd. The suicide bomber was on the left side of the vehicle. When she was waving there were three shots that were fired. So one could hear the three shots that were fired. But fortunately, none of the shots hit her. Then there was an explosion and the suicide bomber exploded himself. Due to the pressure of the shock wave, Benazir Bhutto fell down and tried to tug down into the vehicle. Unfortunately one of the levers on the left side of the sunroof hit her on the right side. It caused fractures in her scull and that, unfortunately, became the cause of her death,” Cheema said.

However, Benazir’s husband Asif Ali Zardari rubbished the government’s claim, blaming it for being negligent and accusing it of playing a “needless blame-game.”

Here’s an excerpt from an exclusive telephonic interview Zardari gave to CNN-IBN on the special show Remembering Benazir

CNN-IBN: How do you react to the Interior Ministry’s claims that Benazir was, in fact, not shot but died of a head injury?

Zardari: I think that’s their point of view but the party and the family doesn’t agree with it. Frankly speaking, they are trying to avoid the issue. We acknowledge there was a blast but first she was shot and then there was the blast. I have witnesses who were there were never questioned by Pakistan government. Frankly speaking, they don’t even have the capability. If they were to conduct a post-mortem, they will not even know the difference between a gunshot wound and a shrapnel wound. God forgive them for they know not.

CNN-IBN: The description given by Javed Cheema seems to suggest the theory of the suicide bomber was a fabricated one. The government seems to be saying there were no rifles used. What do you think is Pakistan government is trying to do by making these claims?

Zardari: I think Pakistan government is an incompetent bunch of people that does not know their front side from their backside and are adding twists to the tale unnecessarily. The fact is that Pakistan has lost its first-ever Muslim woman prime minister under their watch. We had appealed to them, written to them, asking them for security and special provision to get security personnel from international market. But they turned it all down.

CNN-IBN: It appears Pakistan government is attempting to put the onus of the incident on Benazir herself. They say had Benazir remained inside the car, nothing would have happened.

Zardari: Now that we have the tape, we can see she was standing and waving from sunroof. The point is that if you go to a political rally, security is supposed to be governmnet’s responsibility.

CNN-IBN: But the car was bomb-proof. Cheema says had she stayed inside she would have been safe.

Zardari: I designed her vehicle so I know it better than anyone else. The actual debate is that we have lost a famous personality. Instead of owning responsibility and admitting to their guilt, they (government) turn around and put the ball in other person’s court. They are playing a dirty game.

CNN-IBN: No attempt was made to conduct a post-mortem. Your comment.

Zardari: Yes, the post-mortem needed my permission but by the time I landed, it was too late.

CNN-IBN: Are you asking for an enquiry?

Zardari: Even when the first attack took place, we asked for an enquiry by Scotland Yard and FBI. They refused us. She gave her life for PPP, the party for which her father and brother also died. The party is meeting tomorrow. We intend to debate this position and will come up with a response.

CNN-IBN: Earlier, Benazir had pointed out that should her life come under threat, several personnel from Army would be to blame. Are you beginning to get a sense of what she meant?

Zardari: That letter is with Musharraf and they (government) are now refusing to listen to our version. But she has also left behind what call be called a death will – a dying declaration – which one of her friends in America has released.

CNN-IBN: Were you satisfied with the security arrangement?

Zardari: No. In fact, We had written to the authorities one day earlier complaining about the security. Those newspaper items are available. Simply put, the authorities were not interested in protecting her at all.

CNN-IBN: Are you suggesting that Pak govt was deliberately creating a situation whee Benazir’s life came under threat?

Zardari: I could say that easily. Yes.

CNN-IBN: How do you see this unfortunate incident playing itself out on Pakistan streets? There have already been several incidents of violence.

Zardari: It has shaken country’s roots. The only binding force in Pakistan was our political force under her leadership. We have lost that. I don’t know which side the country will go. Intelligent guess is that it will become very weak and will turn into a no-man’s land more than ever before.

CNN-IBN: Who is responsible for all this?

Zardari: It’s the ruler who is responsible.

CNN-IBN: The Pak government is suggesting al-Qaeda was responsible.

Zardari: If you look at the statement she made after the first unsuccessful attempt on her life, she said whoever those people might be, the thought process is the same.