Bhutto's PPP to finalise draft for UN investigation by Sunday

Islamabad, Jan 3 (UNI) A three-member committee of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), formed to take the matter of Benazir Bhutto's assassination to the United Nations, would finalise draft of the complaint by Sunday.

At present, the committee is trying to include all new videotapes available and government statements regarding the December 27 tragedy.

''PPP lawyers are working on every aspect of the incident and will include recent videotapes of the incident,'' The News quoted Senator Farooq H Naek, one of the members of the committee, as saying.

The government has already sought help of the Scotland Yard to assist Pakistani investigators in the ongoing probe into Bhutto's assassination.

The complaint would also include statements of the government officials, he said, adding ,''The main reason we are approaching the United Nations is the distrust and lack of credibility of the government, and we will prove it''.

PPP lawyers would try to include every possible document regarding the assassination of Bhutto to convince the UN secretary-general to order an independent international probe into the December 27 tragedy, he added.

He said delay in drafting of the complaint was due to new developments and ever-changing statements of the government.

''Drafting of the complaint is the most complicated process which, besides complex international laws, delayed the process but I am trying hard to complete the draft by the coming weekend,'' the Senator further said.

''As we are going to an international agency and we have to convince it, therefore, we have to keep plenty of important things in mind before drafting the complaint,'' he added.

An independent international probe would only be allowed if they succeeded in convincing the UN about the distrust and non-credibility of the Pakistani government and its attempt to give a twisted angle to Bhutto's assassination, he mentioned.

Another member of committee, Begum Syeda Abida Hussain, said new videotapes, released by the Channel 4 of the United Kingdom, would also be included in the draft of the complaint as these tapes have exposed the government's duplicity.

''We will not only focus on evidences available with us but will also include the email written by Ms Bhutto to Mark Seigal on October 26,'' Begum Abida said.

The PPP would follow all required procedures of lodging a complaint for an independent international probe in the UN, she added.

UNI XC SG DB1334