Malik, Awan accused of direct involvement in Bhutto's murder

Islamabad, Apr.22 (ANI): Slain Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's chief protocol officer Aslam Chaudhry's legal advisor, Asad Rajput, has blamed Interior Minister Rehman Malik and law and parliamentary affairs minister Babar Awan of being directly involved in the former premier's assassination.

Talking to media persons here, Rajput said the UN enquiry commission's report over Bhutto's tragic death has clearly established that former President General Pervez Musharraf had masterminded the gun and bomb attack on Bhutto.

He said that a number of high profile personalities, including former Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, Intelligence Bureau chief, the Federal Investigation Agency and the Rawalpindi police were equally responsible for the December 27, 2007 attack, The Nation reports.

Chaudhry had accused both Malik and Rehman of sabotaging the security arrangements, which were put in place at Rawalpindi's Liaquat Bagh, where the ghastly incident took place.

It is worth mentioning here that according to the UN report Malik, who was in-charge of Bhutto's security and Awan along with the current presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar and Lt. Gen. (retired) Tauqir Zia had sped off in the back-up bullet proof Mercedes soon after Bhutto was attacked and did not stop till it reached Zardari House in Islamabad. (ANI)