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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Musharraf queries how Bhutto died | Musharraf queries how Bhutto died |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pakistan's President Musharraf has said for the first time that murdered opposition leader Benazir Bhutto may have been shot. | Pakistan's President Musharraf has said for the first time that murdered opposition leader Benazir Bhutto may have been shot. |
| Until now Pakistani officials have maintained that Ms Bhutto had banged her head on part of her car's sunroof. | Until now Pakistani officials have maintained that Ms Bhutto had banged her head on part of her car's sunroof. |
| But asked in a US television interview if a gunshot could have caused her head injury he replied: "Yes, absolutely, yes. Possibility." | But asked in a US television interview if a gunshot could have caused her head injury he replied: "Yes, absolutely, yes. Possibility." |
| She died on 27 December in a gun and suicide bomb attack while campaigning. | She died on 27 December in a gun and suicide bomb attack while campaigning. |
| More than 50 people were killed in violence following her death. | More than 50 people were killed in violence following her death. |
| The elections she was campaigning for were subsequently postponed from 8 January to 18 February. | The elections she was campaigning for were subsequently postponed from 8 January to 18 February. |
| The government said the attack had been ordered by a tribal leader in the lawless South Waziristan area on the border with Afghanistan, Baitullah Mehsud. It described him as an al-Qaeda leader. | The government said the attack had been ordered by a tribal leader in the lawless South Waziristan area on the border with Afghanistan, Baitullah Mehsud. It described him as an al-Qaeda leader. |
| He has denied any involvement. | He has denied any involvement. |
| 'Victim to blame' | 'Victim to blame' |
| In the interview, aired on Sunday in the CBS show 60 Minutes, Mr Musharraf repeated his government's line that Ms Bhutto was to blame for her own death. | |
| She had the threat. She was given more security than any other person President Musharraf | She had the threat. She was given more security than any other person President Musharraf |
| "For standing up outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else," he said. | "For standing up outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else," he said. |
| According to eye-witnesses, a gunman fired at Ms Bhutto as she stood up through the car's sunroof to greet supporters after a rally in Rawalpindi. Moments later, a bomb exploded. | According to eye-witnesses, a gunman fired at Ms Bhutto as she stood up through the car's sunroof to greet supporters after a rally in Rawalpindi. Moments later, a bomb exploded. |
| Ms Bhutto was taken to hospital, but doctors could not save her. | Ms Bhutto was taken to hospital, but doctors could not save her. |
| She was buried the next day, as Muslim custom demands, and no post-mortem was carried out. | She was buried the next day, as Muslim custom demands, and no post-mortem was carried out. |
| Her family and supporters insist she died of gunshot wounds, rejecting the official line that she was fatally wounded when her head smashed onto part of her car's sunroof. | Her family and supporters insist she died of gunshot wounds, rejecting the official line that she was fatally wounded when her head smashed onto part of her car's sunroof. |
| Mr Musharraf first signalled that the government could be distancing itself from that position last week, when he said he was not fully satisfied with the investigation. | Mr Musharraf first signalled that the government could be distancing itself from that position last week, when he said he was not fully satisfied with the investigation. |
| British detectives have flown to Pakistan to help with the investigation. | British detectives have flown to Pakistan to help with the investigation. |
| Security | Security |
| Supporters of Ms Bhutto's party, the PPP, have blamed the government for her death, either because some officials wanted her dead or not enough security was provided. | Supporters of Ms Bhutto's party, the PPP, have blamed the government for her death, either because some officials wanted her dead or not enough security was provided. |
| But Mr Musharraf repeated that his government had given her adequate protection. | But Mr Musharraf repeated that his government had given her adequate protection. |
| "She was given more security than any other person," he said. | "She was given more security than any other person," he said. |
| A senior PPP official, Farhatullah Babar, reacted to the interview by saying the government's position on the killing had been shifting from day to day. | A senior PPP official, Farhatullah Babar, reacted to the interview by saying the government's position on the killing had been shifting from day to day. |
| He said this underlined the need for a UN inquiry. | He said this underlined the need for a UN inquiry. |
| Meanwhile, Pakistan reacted angrily to reports that the US administration was considering covert operations in the country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. | Meanwhile, Pakistan reacted angrily to reports that the US administration was considering covert operations in the country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. |
| The Pakistani foreign office said it would not let US forces hunt militants on its soil. | The Pakistani foreign office said it would not let US forces hunt militants on its soil. |
| The statement came after the New York Times published a report saying Washington was seeking to expand military and intelligence operations in Pakistan following Ms Bhutto's death. | The statement came after the New York Times published a report saying Washington was seeking to expand military and intelligence operations in Pakistan following Ms Bhutto's death. |