Date:30/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/30/stories/2007123058460100.htm

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Row over cause of Benazir’s death

Nirupama Subramanian

PPP spokesperson rubbishes government version, says Benazir had bullet wounds

— Photo: AFP

Grief-stricken nation: Supporters of the assassinated former Pakistan Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, staging a protest in Peshawar on Saturday. Thirty eight people have been killed in the violence that erupted after Benazir’s killing.

ISLAMABAD: A war of words has broken out between the government and the Pakistan People’s Party over the exact cause of Benazir Bhutto’s death.

The PPP has rubbished the government version that Benazir died of a skull fracture she sustained when she hit her head on the lever of the sunroof in her car as “dangerous nonsense” and accused it of trying to change the direction of the investigations.

The government, on the other hand, said it had nothing to gain from lying about how Benazir died, and on Saturday offered that if the PPP wanted, Benazir’s body could be exhumed and a post-mortem examination carried out.

Farahtullah Babar, spokesman for Benazir, said she died of two bullet wounds, one in the neck and another in the head. He said a medical report issued on Thursday evening, hours after the attack, by a panel of doctors headed by the principal of Rawalpindi Medical College confirmed that Benazir had a neck injury. He said she was declared dead 15 minutes after reaching the hospital.

Mr. Babar accused the government of trying to change the direction of the investigation.

Speaking to The Hindu, Sherry Rehman, party spokesperson, said there was one bullet wound in the back of Benazir’s head on the left side and it came out through the right side.

“She slumped [into the car] and the explosion took place after that,” said Ms. Rehman, contradicting the government’s version that Benazir hit her head on the sunroof lever as she was thrown against it by the force of the explosion.

Ms. Rehman, who helped prepare Benazir’s body for burial, earlier told Reuters news agency that blood was still oozing out of the exit wound from the bullet when the body was being bathed, and described the government’s claim was “dangerous nonsense.”

Another PPP leader, Babar Awan, told The Hindu that “the government has changed its story too many times, and it is telling lies.”

Defending the government’s version, Interior Ministry spokesman Brigadier (retd.) Javed Iqbal Cheema said the exact cause of Benazir’s death was “immaterial.”

“It is not very important what caused her death. What does it matter whether she died of a bullet wound or an explosion? The fact is that unfortunately we have lost her. We gave you the absolute facts, and nothing but facts. We don’t mind if the PPP leadership is saying she died of bullet wounds. If they want her body can be exhumed and post mortemed,” the spokesman said at a press conference. He said it was more important to focus on who had carried out the attack, and to track them down.

The PPP has called for an independent enquiry by international experts, but Brigadier Cheema ruled this out, saying Pakistan was capable of conducting its own enquiry.

Sharif visits grave

A day after Benazir’s burial, Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Nawaz Sharif visited Naudero, her ancestral home in the Sindh province, to console her husband, Asif Zardari. He also visited Benazir’s grave at Garhi Khuda Baksh to pay his respects.