Islamabad, Sept 05: Pakistan government today said law ministry officials were examining whether the recent statements by self exiled former premier Benazir Bhutto that she vetoed a Kargil type of attack against India amounted to treason. The government informed the national assembly that it referred for legal opinion Bhutto's statements to Indian media that during her tenure as Prime Minister, she shot down a proposal made by President Pervez Musharraf, then Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to stage a Kargil type of attack on Jammu and Kashmir, state television reported.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Sheikh Rashid told media recently that her remarks amounted to breach of oath of office and to committing treason as she revealed military plans. Benazir responded to the charge saying that the government efforts to "frame" her were "knee jerk" reaction to reports of arrests of several Pakistan military personnel for having links with extremists elements like Al Qaeda and Taliban.

A statement by Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), whose dissidents provided a bare majority to the Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali government said by rejecting Muahrraf's plan, she saved the lives of hundreds of Pakistani Army personnel.

Another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, during whose tenure the Kargil military attack was launched by Pakistan, said that over 4000 Pakistani Army personnel were killed in the attack. Bureau Report