The government of Pakistan has retracted and apologized for its claim that Benazir Bhutto died as a result of hitting her head on a sun-roof lever.
Of course, that only whetted the appetites of journalists:
Khan said the spokesman’s comments may have been a mistake as “we are faujis (soldiers) and we are not so articulate to present our views as you journalists can”. Both the interior minister and spokesman Cheema are retired army officers.
Soomro was repeatedly asked whether he would allow a foreign investigation into the murder but he asserted that Pakistani experts were competent to do the job.
His denial raised questions from the editors about the offer made by President Pervez Musharraf to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to consider foreign help in probing the assassination.
No doubt, Musharraf’s government has made matters more difficult for itself. But so far, I haven’t seen anything to indicate that there is anything wrong with their effort to apprehend whoever was behind the assassination.
[T]he advertisement issued by Punjab’s Home Ministry included two photos of the suspected assailant and the severed head of the suspected bomber.
“The public is hereby informed that the two individuals in the above photographs are the accused terrorists in the Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi terror attack, which resulted in the death of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and others,” it said.
“The government of Punjab has announced a cash award of Rs 1 crore for lead information and any solid evidence.” The advertisement said the names of persons providing any information would be kept “strictly confidential”. It also sought the cooperation of the people for “dismantling of terrorist network”.
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