Investigation report on Benazir Bhutto assassination to be made public: Cheema

ISLAMABAD: Interior ministry spokesman Brig (Retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema has said investigation report on Benazir Bhutto assassination will be made public when it is finalized and nothing will be kept secret.

He said this in weekly press briefing here Tuesday. He announced fool proof security would be provided if needed by any leader including Nawaz Sharif.

Martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto was a national tragedy and every one was grieved over it adding the protest followed her assassination was a natural reaction. But criminals also joined this protest and due to this reason about 100 prisoners escaped from jails and lock ups, he told. Action is under way for their re-arrest, he added. There are reports on suicide attack on chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, he pointed out.

In the aftermath of tragic death of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, law and order situation had deteriorated to large extent in the country, he told. It caused heavy loss but normalcy was returning to Sindh due to appropriate actions taken by security forces, he indicated. Political leadership of the country and political parties had demonstrated patience and restraint. Thos who are involved in agitation and riots are not political parties workers but anti state elements are behind such activities, he remarked. Elements who are creating law and order situation will be dealt with iron hand, he warned.

Finance ministry is working on statistics of losses, he indicated. As per final list received by us on the damages caused in the wake of shahadat of Benazir Bhutto,. 185 banks were set ablaze across the country, 36 were damaged, 36 petrol pumps were torched and 2 were damaged, he told. 72 railway coaches were set on fire and 6 were damaged, he added. 58 people were killed and 89 were injured during the riots, he informed.

A Jirga has been set up for normalization of situation in Karram agency, he pointed out.