Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry announced that he would probe the deadly attack on Benazir Bhutto's homecoming procession to bring the perpetrators to book.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Wednesday announced that he would probe the deadly attack on former Premier Benazir Bhutto's homecoming procession to bring the perpetrators to book and restore the people's confidence in the government.
The move by Chaudhry comes at a time when the apex court is hearing petitions against General Pervez Musharraf's candidature in the October six presidential poll and deportation of former Premier Nawaz Sharif to Jeddah within hours of his return here from exile last month.
Chaudhry has been at the centre of a confrontation between the judiciary and Musharraf since the General unsuccessfully tried to sack him.
"More than a week has passed since these bloody explosions occurred, however, no clue has so far been found explaining the reasons and the persons involved," a statement issued by the Supreme Court said.
Chaudhry has taken the suo motu action in the matter and scheduled the case for hearing tomorrow, the statement said.
Two blasts hit Bhutto's motorcade in the port city of Karachi on October 18 hours after she returned to Pakistan from exile, killing nearly 140 people and injuring hundreds more.
The attack has implications for political activities in Pakistan and its reverberations 'are being heard in international quarters,' the statement said.
"The suo motu action has been taken to ensure that such a heinous crime does not remain unpunished and perpetrators of this barbaric act are brought to book, which will result in restoring the confidence of the nation in the system of governance," the court statement said.
Though Pakistan is 'already in the grip of suicidal bombing and other terrorist acts, yet this is the most chilling and dreadful incident of its kind, targeting the entire leadership of a major political party of the country, and resulting in the unprecedented' casualties, it said.
"This incident has not only shaken the confidence of the entire nation, but it has also negatively affected the business environment in the country and resulted in a very poor projection of Pakistan in the world community."
The attack could 'cause a scare and disinterest among the people to actively participate in the political system and freely exercise their right to vote, freedom of movement and other fundamental rights," the statement said.
It also noted that Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) 'has not only shown its strongest reservations over the way the investigation is being carried out, but also expressed doubts as to the capacity of the administration to do so.'
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