LONDON - Former president Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said he was not responsible for the killings of Benazir Bhutto and Akbar Bugti, and that he will not appear before any inquiry commission on this count.
In an interview with a private TV channel, Musharraf said it was not his responsibility to provide security to Benazir. "I was head of the state. A government was in place at that time. Providing security was the responsibility of security agencies. That obligation was discharged befittingly," he added. He said Benazir spent over two hours in Liaqat Bagh, and then addressed a public meeting, adding that she had been provided complete security.
"When the public meeting concluded, she had been provided a bullet-proof vehicle," he added. Musharraf said he saluted the security agencies and personnel who provided protection to Benazir at the cost of their lives. "Those blaming me should tell who had asked Benazir Bhutto to come out of the car. How can security agencies be blamed for that act?" he asked, adding that she had opened the sunroof herself, therefore the security agencies were not at fault," he said.
"People like Jahangir Badar are blaming me," he stated. "I want to make it clear that the security agencies were not at fault in Benazir's murder," he said. "Allegations leveled against me being responsible for the killing of Akbar Bugti are also baseless," he said, adding that Bugti was fighting the FC in the mountains of Balochistan. It was the FC's responsibility to protect the country. Bugti was killed during a clash with them and other security agencies," Musharraf said.
Reacting to the former president's interview, Badar said it was a fact that Musharraf was responsible for Benazir's assassination, adding that it was not an allegation but had been proved in the UN inquiry commission report.