Islamabad, Jan 12: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has said he hoped the result of the Scotland Yard-assisted probe into Benazir Bhutto's assassination will be out before the Feb 18 polls, which, he said, will be held no matter "what happens".
Ruling out a United Nations inquiry into the killing of the former premier, as demanded by Bhutto's family and her Pakistan People's Party, Musharraf said "it is not possible. Is another country involved?"
In the interview with French daily Le Figaro on Friday, Musharraf said Pakistan should not be compared to Lebanon, where the UN is investigating the murder of the former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri.
"Pakistan is not Lebanon," he was quoted as saying by the BBC .
Musharraf said that Pakistan had its own institutions to investigate the killing and that they were being assisted by the UK.
The president said he hoped the results of the investigation would be published before February's parliamentary vote.
Musharraf said the parliamentary elections, which were were delayed following Bhutto's killing on Dec 27 and rescheduled for Feb 18, would be held, no matter "what happens".
Bhutto's son, Bilawal, has said he does not believe that a government inquiry into his mother's death has had the "necessary transparency".
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, January 12, 2008, 00:00