UN probe into BB murder was to ensure credibility: Gilani

03 Apr, 2011

Talking to newsmen here after paying his respects at the mausoleum of the martyrs of the Bhutto family, Gilani said "the UN probe was conducted as the Shaheed leader had desired so, after the first attempt on her life in Karachi."

The Prime Minister said Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had wanted an independent investigation into the attack. He said all the four provincial assemblies and the national assembly also demanded a probe by the United Nations, keeping in view her desire.

He said the findings of the Joint Investigation Team would be shared by the Minister for Interior Rehman Malik with the Chairman Pakistan People's Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The Prime Minister who was accompanied by Minister for Information Firdous Ashiq Awan, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, Minister for Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar and Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination Mian Raza Rabbani, besides Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah said the government would continue to pursue the policy of reconciliation to find an amicable solution to the situation in Karachi.

He said only through the policy of reconciliation, all the parties can sit together and find a way out to put a permanent end to the lawlessness in the city which in fact was a mini-Pakistan.

To a question, Prime Minister Gilani said the federal government has already allocated an amount of Rs 2.5 billion as its share for the construction of embankments and reconstruction of other damaged infrastructure in the wake of the devastating floods of the last year.

He said the federal government would also provide an additional Rs 2.5 billion for construction of other mega projects and developmental work as desired by the provincial governments. He said 35 per cent of work on the rehabilitation has already been done, while work was going on at a fast pace on the rest.

Responding to a question about the opening of the case of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Gilani said it was meant at rectifying a historic wrong.

"The decision to re-open the case was taken by the Pakistan People's Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, myself, the federal cabinet and the national assembly."

He said the judges who took the decision to execute Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto later admitted that they did so, while being under intense pressure.

Regarding his recent visit to India  to watch Pakistan- India semi-final of the cricket World Cup  Gilani said he had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier at Colombo, Sharmel Sheikh and Thimphu and said they agreed on continuing the dialogue process.

He said as part of the confidence building measures the Interior Secretaries had already met, while Secretaries of Commerce, Defence and the Foreign Ministers will meet soon.

He said he accepted the invitation to see the match "as we wanted the world to know that we want the resolution of all issues through dialogue, according to the vision of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali

Bhutto."

Earlier the Prime Minister offered fateha and laid wreath at the graves of Shaheeds Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Mir Murtaza Bhutto and Shahnawaz Bhutto.-

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011

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