Pakistan withdraws cases against 200 suspects in Bhutto’s assassination

May 25th, 2008 Sana · No Comments

ISLAMABAD, May 23 (Xinhua) — Pakistan on Friday withdrew the cases against 200 suspects allegedly involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto citing lack of evidence.

“The chief minister of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) ordered the withdrawal of cases against 200 accused in Benazir Bhutto murder case,” Pakistan’s private Dawn TV channel reported.

“The withdrawal of the cases is due to lack of evidence,” the TV quoted official sources as saying.

Bhutto, also former leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), was killed in a gun and bomb attack last December while attending a political rally.

The Pakistani government said on Thursday it was ready to submit a letter of request to secretary-general of the United Nations, asking for the U.N. investigation into the assassination of Bhutto.

President Pervez Musharraf invited a Scotland Yard team to join in the investigation after Bhutto was killed.

But the PPP has been insisting on the U.N. probe into the murder.

Law Minister Farooq Naek said on Thursday the Scotland Yard team was given “limited mandate” during their probe.

“They were given the mandate to investigate whether it’s a murder, but not to investigate who are the persons behind the hideous crime.” Naek said.