Did A Hi-Tech Laser Beam Kill Benazir Bhutto?

Here are two important stories related to Pakistan. First, allegations have surfaced that sophisticated laser beam technology was used to eliminate Benazir Bhutto. Second, Pakistan’s general election has been postponed until February 18.

Key members of the US Congress were last night preparing to block further aid to Pakistan as the mystery surrounding Benazir Bhutto’s assassination deepened, with claims she was “targeted with the latest laser beam technology”, similar to that used by American forces in Iraq, reports The Australian.

“The moves by the US politicians came as French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner arrived in Islamabad for talks with President Pervez Musharraf over demands for an inquiry into the Bhutto killing similar to that mounted by the UN into the death of Lebanese leader Rafik Hariri in 2004.

“With speculation and innuendo growing over just who killed Bhutto, 12 members of the US Congress were demanding that all aid to Pakistan be frozen until the mystery was cleared up.

“Controversy surrounding the assassination intensified yesterday amid reports that crucial records had been removed from the Rawalpindi General Hospital where Bhutto was taken, and claims she was killed using laser-beam technology.

“The Nation on its front page said the gunfire and bomb blasts at Bhutto’s election rally “were a decoy to hide the real shooters” and claimed laser technology similar to that used by American forces in Iraq had been used. (Use of these weapons is also controversial as they have the potential to cause permanent harm. Lasers designed to cause permanent blindness were internationally banned under a UN agreement in 1995.)

More here…

Pakistan’s wellknown paper The Nation states: “Baitullah Mahsud and Taliban don’t have such (laser beam) technology. After bomb blasts in Karachi on Oct 18, Mahsud sent two messages to Benazir in which he said that they have neither any hostility against her, nor would make any attempt to kill her.

“When Benazir was admitted to Rawalpindi General Hospital, Dr M Musaddiq Khan told a PPP leader that he saw such a case for the first time in his life. These wounds were not of bullets, Dr said and added that she had expired before shifting to the hospital and a part of her brain and blood had spilled over from her head,” the sources unveiled. The sources said that both gunshots and bomb blast were a decoy to hide the real shooters.”

More here… Some food for thought: If the allegations about laser beam technology prove to be true…then the important question: How did this latest sophisticated US technology reach Pakistan?

Meanwhile despite Opposition parties’ demand that the General Elections be held as scheduled on January 8, Pakistan authorities have delayed the election by six weeks – to be held on Feb 18 now. An AP report says: “The opposition alleged that authorities were postponing the polls to help the ruling party, amid expectations that Bhutto’s group could get a sympathy boost at the polls.

“The ruling party could also suffer a backlash. Bhutto had accused elements within the group of plotting to kill her, a charge it vehemently denies.

“It was not immediately clear if Bhutto’s party would pursue threats to take to the streets because of the delayed vote. Earlier, party Sen. Babar Awan warned that the delay may trigger street protests and riots.”

The Reuters story provids analysts views: “Farzana Raja, spokeswoman for Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party: ‘Whatever reasons they give are such lame-duck excuses because the electoral papers and lists were burnt in the districts, but they have those lists in the central office.

” ‘We reject their baseless excuses. We’re ready to fight the election. It was all done on the request of Musharraf’s party because they can see defeat in the elections’.

“Nawaz Sharif’s spokesman Nadir Chaudhri: ‘We’ve already said that we want to contest straight away on the 8th, and so does the People’s Party, so it is a disappointment. We feel that the elections should have been held on the 8th. We’re going to decide our future course of action now at a meeting’.

“Tariq Azim Khan, Senior official of pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League: ‘It’s realistic and understandable, a short delay, keeping in mind the ground realities. There may be some (sympathy vote), but it’s wrong to prejudge what the voters will do. Sympathies don’t die down in a few days. It can’t be much of a leader if the sympathy is forgotten in just a few days’.”

At the national level, Pakistan elects a bicameral legislature, the Parliament of Pakistan, which consists of a directly-elected National Assembly of Pakistan and a Senate whose members are chosen by elected provincial legislators. More here…

For my recent stories on Benazir’s death please click here… And here…