UN rejects Pak objections over commission's Benazir murder report

New York, July 14 (ANI): United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has rejected Pakistan's objections over the inquiry report submitted by its commission which probed the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Responding to the objections raised in a letter by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Ki-moon said he fully backs the UN's three man committee which probed the December 2007 murder, and that it carried out its work 'professionally'.

The secretary general underlined that the commission, which was headed by Heraldo Munoz, Chile's former UN ambassador, conducted its inquiry under the terms of reference (TOR) agreed to between the Pakistan government and the UN Secretariat, and noted by the Security Council.

"The report painstakingly sets out the facts regarding the assassination and provides an extensive description of the circumstances around the crime," The Daily Times quoted Ki-moon's spokesman Farhan Haq, as saying.

"The secretary general has full confidence in the committee's judgement. He believes that the report produced by the commission speaks for itself and can be helpful to any subsequent investigation. The work of the commission is complete. The secretary-general stands by the report," Haq said.

However, the full text of the secretary general's letter has not been made public.

In his letter, Qureshi had pointed out that the commission did not pay attention towards the international dimension of the tragic incident.

He also criticised the commission for pointing finger towards Pakistani security agencies and the establishment over their role. (ANI)