UN dragging its feet on BB murder probe

A joint statement issued by the Secretary-General’s office said that the UN “would see what it could (do) to support the request for an independent fact-finding commission”, and then goes on to say that it would “explore further the precise modalities and brief of such a commission.” A formal request for the establishment of the commission was made by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi when he met the UN chief in New York in July.

At that time, a statement by the Secretary-General’s office said: “Responding positively to the issue, the Secy-Gen indicated that further consultation with Pakistan and others within the Organisation would be required to examine the modalities and structure of a Commission to determine the circumstances of, and responsibilities for, the assassination of the former prime minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.”

Taken together, the two statements indicate no progress towards the setting up of the inquiry body over the past three months. No one here was prepared to say why the UN was dragging its feet.