Pakistan objects parts of UN commission’s report

Benazir’s murder:

UN: Pakistan has pointed out a spate of inaccuracies and unsubstantiated observations in the UN Commission report into assassination of former Prime Minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, saying that such unauthenticated inferences hold no credence at any level.

In a letter addressed to Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi counted, among other things, lack of attention paid to any international dimension of the tragic Dec 27, 2007 killing of the former Prime Minister. He also took issue with repeated but un-evidenced finger-pointing at the role of Pakistani security agencies and establishment.

At the same time, the letter, which was issued on Thursday as a document of the United Nations, said the Pakistan Government was taking steps to investigate the assassination.

The three-member United Nations commission, consisting of Permanent Representative of Chile Ambassador Heraldo Muoz, Marzuki Darusman of Indonesia; and Peter Fitzgerald of Ireland, presented its report April 15.

In particular, the Foreign Minister said, “Without detracting from much of the good work done by the members of the Commission.” He said,

“(A) That comments and observations about the Pakistan Army, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) or the so-called Establishment, are only the opinions of the members of the Commission. They do not represent authenticated determinations based on any fact or evidence, and the same shall neither form a precedent nor a basis to lend credence to a political position in this regard, in the practice of States and/or that of international organizations;

(B) Pakistan Government maintains that any comments, observations or findings given in the report in respect of all matters except those that are directly relevant to the facts and circumstances of the assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto shall not be viewed as having determined any fact that relates to any matter of foreign policy of Pakistan, neither shall it have the effect of influencing any position that the Government of Pakistan has been adhering hitherto;

(C) The report has a serious flaw because the Commission has failed to approach third States or to provide some reliable information to unearth, if any, international linkages perpetrating, planning, financing or abetting the assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, although there is mention and reliance on such sources belonging to third States.

The international linkages were an important aspect of the mandate of The Commission under paragraph 3 of the terms of reference which remained unfulfilled. (D) Further, the Government of Pakistan wishes to present the clear understanding to the Office of the Secretary-General that the comments and observations so made by the members of the Inquiry Commission in the report, which are not authenticated and referenced, shall not be used or adopted by any State or institution as “facts determined.

By Iftikhar Ali UNITED NATIONS, Friday (APP)