The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has completed its inquiry into the assassination of former prime minister and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto, which blames Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud for orchestrating the attack.According to the text of the 39-page report obtained by Daily Times, the attack was planned in Akora Khatak by former students of Madrassa Darul-Uloom Haqqania.
One of the prime suspects in the case, Hassnain Gull, has told investigators that Benazir was targeted due to her stance over the Lal Masjid operation.
In the report, an ISI official confirmed that he had recorded a telephonic conversation in which Baitullah Mehsud himself issued instructions to some of the arrested terrorists to assassinate the PPP leader.
A joint investigation team (JIT) of the FIA alleged that Inspector Kashif Riaz who was then the station house officer (SHO) of City Police Station Rawalpindi, "intentionally" did not complete the post-mortems of 24 people who were killed in the incident along with Benazir.
The team further alleged that Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashfaq Ahmed who had been deputed at Liaquat Bagh on security duty that day went on a highway patrol instead along with other police personnel and later tampered with the case records.
The FIA team has also alleged that Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Khuram Ishtiaq attempted to destroy the circumstantial evidences when he ordered police to hose down the crime scene.
Darul-Uloom Haqqania: The report revealed that in May, 2010 a special team of the FIA had visited Darul-Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khatak.
The in-charge of the seminary confirmed that accused Abdullah alias Sadam, Nadir alias Qari Ismael, Rashid Ahmed alias Rahim Tarabi and Fiaz Muhammad alias Kiskat were former students of that madrassa.
Assassination: According to phone records, Saeed alias Bilal, Akramullah and Qari Ismael reached Rawalpindi on December 26, 2007 at about 9:00 pm.
They were picked up by accused Rafaqat and Hassnain and taken to Rafaqat's house in Quaid-e-Azam Colony at 12am.
The next day, the terrorists visited the Liaquat Bagh, and the planned route of Benazir Bhutto's convoy.
They then went to Hassnain's house in Shah Jayyona Colony and obtained suicide jackets and weapons.