Islamabad, Jan 2 (Xinhua) The Pakistan government is open to taking foreign help in investigating the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a foreign office spokesman said here Wednesday.
The government is committed to a “thorough and transparent” investigation into the incident that claimed the life of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson and former prime minister Dec 27, the spokesman said.
The announcement came shortly after a meeting between President Pervez Musharraf and visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in the capital.
Kouchner, who arrived here Tuesday on a two-day visit with a team of forensic experts, extended the French government’s condolences to Pakistan over the assassination of Bhutto and offered to help with the investigation by “contributing investigators.”
The minister, who said he was speaking on behalf of the 27-member European Union (EU), told media persons he was not demanding an international investigation into Bhutto’s assassination but would contribute forensic experts to help with the investigation.
Kouchner also expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts in fighting terrorism and extended the EU’s support over it.