Pakistan President Mr. Pervez Musharraf has stated for the first time since her assassination that Ms. Benazir Bhutto might have died due to gun shot wounds. Until now, the official stand has been that Ms. Bhutto had died because of injuries resulting from her head banging against the lever of the sun-roof in her car.

In an interview with CBS, Mr. Musharraf when asked whether Ms. Bhutto might have been shot, is said to have replied, ‘Yes, absolutely, yes. Possibility.’ But the President held on to the official government stance that Ms. Bhutto was ultimately herself to be blamed for her death. He said the incident happened because Ms. Bhutto chose to stand up and wave to her supporters through the sun-roof of her car. In the interview Mr. Musharraf also said that Ms. Bhutto was provided with more security cover ‘than any other person’.

The government has been heavily criticized for this stance.

Her family and supporters continue to insist that she died due to bullet injuries. In fact, they have been pressing for an external/UN enquiry on the incident on the grounds that the government has been changing its stand every other day.

The interview is scheduled to be aired on the popular TV show, 60 Minutes on Sunday, 6th January.

Meanwhile, British detectives have been called in by the Pakistan government to assist with the enquiry. It is also seen as a move towards silencing some of the criticism it has been receiving and to lend a measure of credibility to the government’s earnestness in conducting the enquiry.

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