Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud was not involved in the assassination of Pakistan PeopleÂ’s Party (PPP) chairwoman Benazir Bhutto, TTP spokesman Maulvi Umar said on Thursday.Talking to reporters based in the Bajaur Agency, the spokesman said that involving Mehsud in the murder of the slain PPP leader was not in the interests of the country. He said the TTP had repeatedly denied its involvement in BenazirÂ’s killing and the PPP leadership was fully aware that Mehsud had no hand in their leaderÂ’s assassination.
Umar said the PPP had accused the government of being party to BenazirÂ’s murder, and it was not up to them (the TTP) to clarify their position. He said the people had given a huge mandate to the winning political parties, and thus they (the political parties) should respect the publicÂ’s feelings and reinstate the sacked judges.
Separately, militants opened fire on the Gutki area of Mamoond tehsil in Bajaur Agency, killing two people. The bodies of the deceased were found near a dried riverbed. No one has accepted responsibility for the attack. In another incident, militants destroyed an under-construction Bajaur Levies checkpost at Inayat Kalay with explosives. However, no casualties were reported.