Call for Scotland Yard probe termed too late

London—The British government has announced it will help in investigations into the death of former Pakistan Premier Benazir Bhutto but Scotland Yard officers said it may already be too late to establish the exact circumstances of her death.
Detectives told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that by now nearly all forensic evidence has been lost from the crime scene and there is little usable footage of the attack. It is thought that the only way to establish what actually killed Bhutto Dec 27 would be by exhuming and examining her body - something her family has so far opposed.
Britain’s Metropolitan Police Service confirmed that it is to send a small team from its counter-terrorism branch to provide support in the Bhutto murder inquiry.
However, there is some uncertainty over who will lead the inquiry. While the Metropolitan Police said in London that Pakistani authorities would continue to lead the investigation, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in Washington that: “Scotland Yard being in the lead in this investigation is appropriate and necessary”.
Earlier Wednesday, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband both announced Britain’s agreeing to the Pakistani request.
Miliband said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, at the request of Musharraf, “has agreed to send a UK Police team of technical experts to assist the government of Pakistan in the investigation of the death of Benazir Bhutto. The team is due to leave the UK by the end of the week.
“As the terrible events of last week show only too clearly, Pakistan faces a very serious threat from extremism. The UK is already closely engaged with the Government of Pakistan on counter-terrorism cooperation. The Prime Minister and President Musharraf have agreed to further deepen this aspect of our relationship, and officials will travel to Pakistan to take this forward.”
The Pakistan government had initially said it did not need foreign help to probe the killing and Bhutto’s widower, Asif Ali Zardari, said after Musharraf’s address that Britain’s involvement in the investigation was too late. He said British assistance should have been requested after an attempt on Bhutto’s life in October.
The cause of death was initially put down to gunshot wounds in the neck but the government later said Bhutto had died from a head injury, sustained when she hit a lever on the sunroof of her vehicle in the force of a bomb explosion.
Governor Punjab Khalid Maqbool has said that autopsy can be performed if Scotland Yard investigators deem it essential in assassination case of Benazir Bhutto. While talking to media men here Thursday, he also said that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto laid down her life for the sake of democracy.
“It had become inevitable to defer the elections till February 18. Had elections taken place on January, 8 , there would have been blood shed in the country and turn out would have remained very thin”, he cautioned. Responding to a question about benefit of postponement of elections he said it would benefit the masses rather than any political party.
PPP central leader senator Babar Awan has said his party rejects President Pervez Musharraf offer to call Scotland Yard for investigation into assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. He said this while addressing a press conference here Thursday. He alleged the foreign ministry had interfered in internal affairs for the first time in the history of world.
Foreign ministry had tried to cover up the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto, he alleged. There is no resemblance in killing of Rafiq Hariri killing and Benazir Bhutto assassination. Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated under a political agenda, he charged. The power of pen and camera had exposed the government before the people, he added.—Agencies