By DPA,
New York : The UN has decided to delay publication of a report on the assassination of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a spokesman said Tuesday.
The decision was taken by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, at the request of the Pakistan government. In fact, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto’s widower, himself asked for the report to be withheld until April 15.
“The report is complete and ready to be released,” said spokesman Martin Nesirky. “There was a request, and the request was accepted.”
Nesirky said the Pakistan government had not seen the report and did not want it published until April 15. Zardari’s reasons for requesting the delay were not made public, but were good enough for Ban to accept.
The report was drawn up by a three-member independent panel appointed by Ban to look into Bhutto’s assassination Dec 27, 2007, as she was leading a rally for her Pakistan People’s Party in a parliamentary election campaign that she hoped would restore her to power.