In a letter to the government of Pakistan, head of the Commission Heraldo Munoz had sought access to top military and intelligence officials for interrogation, according to a private TV channel. “The commission had shown a desire to meet the top leadership of the army and the intelligence agencies for assistance in collecting the required information,” sources told Online. Taj was serving as DG ISI while Maj Gen Nadeem Ijaz as DG MI at the time of Benazir Bhutto assassination, the sources added. The Government of Pakistan, sources said, remained silent over the letter for some times but after repeated request by UN Commission the letter was forwarded to GHQ with some comments.
The GHQ in return refused to allow United Nations Commission to quiz Chief of the Army Staff and other top military leadership over the assassination of Beanzir Bhutto, the sources said. The GHQ has informed the Government of Pakistan that it is against the prestige of Army Chief and other top military officials to stand before the United Nations Commission for questioning. It is against the terms and conditions and agreement made with the UN commission, it said. But the United Nations Commission was of the view that under the terms and conditions, Islamabad had to provide access to any official or a particular individual, which the commission considers could throw light on the December 2007 assassination.
It may be recalled here Government of Pakistan has granted three-month extension in the mandate of the United Nations Commission probing former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
The government has also asked UN Commission to submit initial inquiry report over the assassination till Jan 31.
