Benazir Bhutto murder: Rehman Malik blames Musharraf

Islamabad: Pakistan`s former interior minister Rehman Malik has once again blamed former president Pervez Musharraf for not providing sufficient security to the assassinated PPP leader Benazir Bhutto.

In a statement recorded before the head of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Khalid Qureshi, Malik said he wrote multiple letters to Musharraf, requesting him to provide appropriate security to Bhutto, reports The Express Tribune. An FIA official said Malik was approached by the JIT after Musharraf`s recent statements were recorded during his physical remand. The official added that Musharraf had earlier told Qureshi and his team of investigators that the government had already conveyed the risks and dangers involved in Bhutto`s visit to Liaquat Bagh on the day of her assassination. Musharraf said that Malik had ignored the warning. Malik, who has already been interrogated multiple times by different investigation officers, maintained his stance that the incident that took Bhutto`s life occurred due to a security lapse and blamed the `Musharraf-led administration` for it. The recent interview with the JIT comes in response to Musharraf`s fresh statements accusing Malik of the security lapse and of not properly briefing the former premier on risks to her life. Malik has again denied the allegations. He reiterated his stance saying that he had held meetings with Musharraf besides writing him multiple letters for Bhutto`s security. (ANI)