Pak media reports say Benazir's killer identified

Islamabad, Jan.8 : Pakistani media reports are saying that the identity of the man who allegedly shot former premier Benazir Bhutto has been established.

Reports are suggesting that the man, wearing sunglasses who was standing near Benazir's car, is from the Swabi district of North West Frontier Province and has been missing since the day of the blast.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Rawalpindi, who gave his first interview from hospital on Monday said that a man wearing sunglasses was standing about three metres from Benazir Bhutto's car and was firing at her with a pistol. He said a mighty explosion occurred as soon as he jumped to overpower him.

Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007 in Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh area shortly after addressing a rally of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

So far, investigations are holding onto the line that she was a victim of a gunshot wound and a suicide bomb explosion that claimed 20 lives.

The Pakistan Government has invited a team from Scotland Yard to investigate the assassination site and collect evidence relating to the crime.

The PPP leadership, led by Benazir's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, has demanded a U.N.-sponsored investigation, given Bhutto's iconic status internationally.

ANI