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PRESIDENT of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf during his European tour referred to remarks made by CIA Director Hayden in rebutting questions about possible military and government involvement in Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. In a long interview published in the January 18 issue of the Washington Post, Hayden endorsed the Musharraf regime’s claim that her killing was the work of members of Al Qaeda and Baitullah Mehsud, a Taliban and tribal leader based in South Waziristan.
Within hours of Bhutto’s killing, the Bush administration joined with the Musharraf regime in insisting that it was the work of Islamic extremists and denying any possibility that elements in and around the regime could have had a role in carrying out or facilitating the killing.
Hayden’s interview, however, was the fist time that the CIA had gone on record as fully endorsing Islamabad’s explanation of Bhutto’s murder, which places ultimate responsibility on Baitullah Mehsud. Without providing any evidence or explanation of how the CIA had arrived at this conclusion, Hayden asserted, “This [Bhutto’s murder] was done by that network around Baitullah Mehsud. We have no reason to question that.” He said the killing was “part of an organized campaign” of suicide bombings and other attacks on Pakistani leaders. Hayden went on to declare pacifying Pakistan’s border areas to be among the “very highest priorities” of the CIA.
While Hayden’s remarks provided Musharraf with ammunition to fend off reporters’ questions in Europe, they clearly were aimed at furthering the Bush administration’s push to greatly expand the role of US military and intelligence forces in Pakistan.
Benazir Bhutto in her life denied any danger from Baitullah Mehsud and Taliban forces and said that they would never kill a woman. BB’s husband Asif Ali Zardari and top Pakistan People Party’s leaders denied the allegations of murder on Taliban and Baitullah Mahsud. They repeatedly said that it was a government' s effort to divert the attention from the real culprits.
BBC reported that a Pakistani Senator Saleh Shah Qureshi, a Senator of Pakistan who represents Waziristan, said Mr. Mehsud was not "in any way" involved in the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Mr. Shah also rejects CIA claims that Mr. Mehsud is involved with "Al-Qaeda".
"I don't know where these [false] stories come from - about foreign fighters in the area," he said.
"I have never seen any Arab or Uzbeks in the area."
Mr. Shah says the military action has done more harm to the civilian
population than the militants.
"The Army continues to fire at civilian targets, although the militants positions are quite distinct and removed," he says.
Mr. Shah says several civilians belonging to the Mehsud tribe have been taken into custody, and many people now have no option but to leave their homes.
"Ladha [one of Waziristan's main towns] is now deserted as the government has stopped all trade into the area," he says.
"Hospital and schools have been closed down, and food supplies are running low.
"The Army has launched a blockade of the area for the last 10 days."
Mr. Shah says the government's failure to honor previous peace agreements has led to the current fighting.
Ata ur Rahman, a local leader from the area, told the BBC: dialogue was the only hope of ending the fighting.
He said the pro-[ Pakistan] leadership had no desire to fight the Pakistani Army, or the government.
"Baitullah has said himself several times he has no quarrel with the Pakistan Army."
"Whatever he is doing is in self defense for the attacks against him and his men. For them, the main battle is in Afghanistan."
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