|
Islamabad: Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister of Pakistan, is expected to get American-trained guards and the latest electronic security equipment amid fears that she could be assassinated when she returns home to contest parliamentary elections.
Benazir, who is due to return to Pakistan on October 18 after eight years in self-imposed exile, has already received death threats from militants.
Her security adviser, Rahman Malik, said that he had asked Pakistan's government to provide Benazir with security.
"We have demanded that the government give Benazir Bhutto security on a par with that afforded to President Pervez Musharraf,'' he said.
"We want to make it quite clear that the government is fully responsible for Ms Bhutto's security.''
Amnesty
Musharraf, who has survived three assassination attempts, is protected by a US-trained security unit that uses US-supplied heat-seeking sensors and electronic-jamming shields.
At the weekend Musharraf signed an amnesty clearing Benazir of corruption charges as part of a power-sharing deal backed by America and Britain.
Asked whether America would assist in protecting Benazir, a Western diplomat said: "Efforts are being made in all directions to work with the Pakistan government to make sure they have the highest level of security for her.''
Benazir has already made some security preparations of her own. After several weeks of haggling with authorities in the volatile port city of Karachi, where she is due to land, her Pakistan's Peoples Party (PPP) has received permission to import a bullet-proof car.
Last week, Baitullah Mehsud, a pro-Taliban commander based in the tribal area of South Waziristan, said that he would dispatch a "suicide squad'' to greet Benazir.
The Pakistan Government has withdrawn pending corruption cases against former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto, a court in Karachi was informed yesterday.
Deputy prosecutor general of the government's anti-graft National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Shafat Nabi Sherwani made the statement before a Sindh High Court bench hearing petitions for bail to the PPP leader in three cases.
The NAB official told the court that the cases had been withdrawn under the National Reconciliation Ordinance promulgated by President Pervez Musharraf on Friday.
Benazir's lawyer Farooq Naik said he had withdrawn the bail applications in view of the withdrawal of the cases that showed the government was fulfilling its reconciliation promises.
Naik said further negotiations would be held with the team of President Musharraf on issues such as the PPP demand for suspension of powers of local government district administrators ahead of the general elections and removal of ban on third term for prime ministers.
All tiers of PPP at central, provincial and district levels are currently making feverish arrangements to accord a warm welcome to the party leader on her return to the country.
Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema told reporters in Islamabad that comprehensive security would be provided for Benazir Bhutto.
|
