ISLAMABAD, 6 April 2007 — A top Pakistani official pursing corruption cases against former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband has been transferred, triggering speculation about a possible rapprochement between her and President Pervez Musharraf.
Workers of the Pakistan People’s Party celebrated the transfer of the official in various cities of Sindh yesterday.
The cell in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) handling cases against the former premier has been shut down, one report said.
The special operation wing in the NAB, which was focusing on cases relating to Benazir and her husband Asif Zardari, has been closed down, daily Dawn quoted government officials as saying.
The NAB Deputy Chairman Hasan Wasim Afzal, who was in charge of the wing, has been appointed personal secretary to Punjab Governor retired Lt. Gen. Khalid Maqbool.
Now the NAB is headed by retired Lt. Gen. Shahid Aziz and the deputy chairman is Maj. Gen. Siddique Malik Awan.
Another newspaper, the Daily Times, noted that back-channel negotiations between emissaries of Benazir and Musharraf “are ostensibly nearing conclusion”.
The Nation newspaper said Afzal had earlier been “asked to go slow” on the cases pertaining to Benazir and Zardari.
Former minister Sartaj Aziz’s name has figured in the media as Musharraf’s confidant in engaging Benazir. Benazir’s spokespersons and leaders of her People’s Party have generally sought to refute such reports.
Such reports have surfaced each time Benazir has talked to her rival, former Premier Nawaz Sharif or leaders of opposition parties.
Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said the cases against Benazir would be pursued in accordance with the law. “The law will take its course. The transfer of Afzal is a normal routine process,” he said.
But another minister, who did not want to be named, said there was a possibility that the government wanted to convey a “positive” message to Benazir by transferring Afzal.
Under Afzal, NAB was pursuing cases against Benazir in Switzerland and Spain. A case was also pursued in a British court about Zardari buying a historic villa in England.
Benazir has said she would return home in time for elections, likely to take place later this year. Musharraf has said that she could not participate in the elections with cases pending against her. She would be arrested on her arrival at the airport.
Senior Vice Chairman of the PPP Makhdoom Amin Fahim told Arab News, “We have not struck any deal with Musharraf.”
Another PPP leader Sherry Rehman, information secretary of the party told Arab News, “Benazir Bhutto will return to Pakistan shortly and will contest general elections.”
