Thaindian News

Islamabad, Jan 8 (IANS) Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has questioned the judiciary’s inaction against his predecessor Pervez Musharraf despite an email Benazir Bhutto sent before her assassination holding him responsible for anything happening to her on returning to Pakistan.Former prime minister Bhutto, Zardari’s wife, was assassinated Dec 27, 2007, while leaving Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh after addressing an election rally.

Zardari, in an interview with Geo TV, also said Interior Minister Rehman Malik was not responsible for Bhutto’s security during the Liaquat Bagh rally.

Zardari said that Bhutto’s Liaquat Bagh meeting had been organised by an individual he did not wish to name.

“Rehman Malik and we were against the holding of this public meeting,” said Zardari, adding that he and his children had tried to stop Bhutto from returning to Pakistan but failed to do so.

Referring to Bhutto’s Oct 26, 2007 email to journalist Mark Siegel in which she said in case of her assassination Musharraf be held responsible, Zardari asked: “He will be responsible; he is part of the FIR. Why is the judge not taking actions against him?”

Bhutto wrote: “Nothing will happen, just wanted you to know. If it does, in addition to the names in my letter to President Musharraf, I would hold Musharraf responsible. I have been made to feel insecure by his minions and there is no way what is happening in terms of stopping me from taking private security or using tinted windows of four police mobiles to cover all sides could happen without him (Musharraf).”

Speaking on putting Musharraf on trial, Zardari said “putting Pervez Musharraf on trial would have demoralised the army and the entire institution”.

Asked whether parliament should hold Pervez Musharraf’s trial under Article 6 of the constitution (meant to stop future intrusions of the armed forces in the country’s political affairs) Zardari said: “I think collective wisdom will prevail”.