ISLAMABAD, 27 January 2006 — Interpol has issued international notices following a request by Pakistan for the arrest of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband on corruption charges, officials said yesterday.

The police body said “red notices” have been sent out for Benazir, Pakistan’s first female premier, and Asif Ali Zardari, but stressed that they were not arrest warrants and that member countries should decide whether to take any action.

“I can confirm that red notices have been issued for Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari,” Interpol spokeswoman Rachel Billington told AFP by telephone from France.

Benazir, who served twice as premier in the 1980s and 1990s, has lived in self-imposed exile in Dubai and London for the past seven years because of the money laundering allegations against her.

Her husband was released from prison on bail in December 2004 after eight years in detention for alleged corruption. He is now with his wife and children.

“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 Interpols 184 member countries,” Interpol added in a statement.

“A Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant.”

The Pakistani anti-corruption body pursuing the case said it had requested that Interpol issue the red notices to speed up the arrest of Benazir and her husband.

Meanwhile, the Senate, upper house of the Parliament, adopted a resolution unanimously yesterday opposing the United States for its cross-border missile attacks on Bajour Tribal Agency. The resolution was tabled by Sen. Ishaq Daar of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Group).

A majority of the senators including Farhatullah Babar (PPP), Ilyas Blour (ANP), Azizullah Satakzai (JUI), Anwar Binder (PML-Q), Amanullah Karnani (JWP), Sajjad Bukhari(PPP), and others spoke on the resolution demanding an end to US cross-border strikes in Pakistani territories.

Leader of the house Wasim Sajjad spoke in favor of the resolution. The resolution further expressed solidarity with the people of Bajour.

Wali Khan Dies of Brain Hemorrhage

Pakistan’s towering politician, a nonconformist, and a strong believer in democracy, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, died early yesterday of brain hemorrhage in Peshawar. On Monday he had suffered a massive stroke and was in a coma. He was 79.

Son Aswanyar Wali Khan announced his death yesterday.

Son of Abdul Ghaffar Khan, founder of Khudai Khidmatgar Tehrik, Wali Khan was born in Charsaddah in 1917.

He went to a school in Utmanzai for early education. Later he was admitted at Dheradhun for higher education.

His father was then the head of All India National Congress in Frontier Province and a close associate of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and Mahatma Gandhi.

— With input from agencies