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Interpol notice for Benazir

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Political vendetta, says former Prime Minister's party

ISLAMABAD: Following a request by Pakistan Government, Interpol on Thursday issued Red Notices for the arrest of the former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, and her husband Asif Ali Zardari. The move followed a representation by Islamabad that the two were wanted in over 10 corruption cases.

Vindictive action alleged

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by Mrs. Bhutto denounced the notices as "political vendetta" by the Musharraf regime and declared that it would "challenge" them before the Interpol.

"The Government of Pakistan has misused its authority and through manipulated information influenced the Interpol to issue Red Notices to Mrs. Bhutto and her husband. Please note Red Notices are not arrest warrants. There is a sea of difference between the two. We are determined to fight the vindictive attitude of the Government," Babar Awam, well-known lawyer and senior leader of the PPP told The Hindu .

Whatever be legal nuances of the notices, the move has clearly sent out a message that the behind the scene efforts by the Musharraf regime for a rapprochement with Mrs. Bhutto and her party have come to a naught. The Government could be moving towards disqualification of Mrs. Bhutto from electoral politics before the 2007 general election.

Mrs. Bhutto left Pakistan in early 1999 during the regime of Nawaz Sharif fearing her detention and ever since lives in self-exile in Dubai and London. Mr. Zardari was released after eight years of detention on several charges in November 2004 and is abroad. He was permitted to leave the country by the Musharraf regime on medical grounds a few months ago.

"A Red Notice is notification that a bona fide arrest warrant exists for an individual suspected of committing a crime, or convicted by a court, in any of Interpol's 184 member countries," Interpol said in a statement issued in France confirming the news of Red Notice.

The PPP has not certainly been caught unawares by the Interpol notice. Following speculation in the local media, it had written to both the Government and the Interpol explaining Mrs. Bhutto's viewpoint with a plea not to accept such a request.

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