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Journalism of Courage
The Pakistan government on Monday rejected former premier Benazir Bhutto’s demand to seek international help to probe the suicide attack on her motorcade and said it plans to impose a ban on rallies before the general election, sparking an angry reaction from opposition parties.
Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao dismissed Bhutto’s call to involve foreign agencies in the probe into the two blasts in Karachi that killed nearly 140 people on Thursday night, saying Pakistani authorities have “excellent and experienced investigators” who can handle the investigation.
The Pakistani investigators are fully capable of conducting the probe and the government “completely rejected” the demand by Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party to bring in foreign experts, he told reporters here.
Meanwhile, a preliminary report on the attack on Bhutto’s motorcade was submitted to President Pervez Musharraf on Monday. The report said only one suicide bomber was involved in the strike.
The report, prepared by seven security agencies involved in the probe into the attack, said the suicide bomber “probably first hurled a hand grenade” before blowing himself up, Geo TV reported.
Bhutto had said on Sunday in Karachi that her party wanted the government to seek international assistance in the probe.
Sherpao also said the government plans to ban election rallies on security grounds.
The administration has prepared a “comprehensive code of conduct” to regulate activities during the campaign for the general election due in mid-January, he said.
Political parties and their leaders will soon be taken into confidence on this code of conduct, one of the key features of which is a ban on political rallies and processions, Sherpao said.
Meanwhile, Opposition vowed to defy the ban on rallies in the run-up to general elections.
Bhutto’s party said the code was unacceptable amid fears embattled President Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, was trying to curtail campaigning for the polls.
“Rallies are part of the election process. We cannot sit idle during the election season,” Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) spokesman Nazir Dhoki said.
“Leaders have to contact the masses and that is necessary for candidates and parties,” he said.
