ISLAMABAD – In a new book, “Inqilab Mehsood South Waziristan – From BritishRaj to American Imperialism” released by the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistanclaims responsibility for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the formerprime minister of Pakistan in 2007.
“She allegedly planned to collaborate with the US against the mujahideen ifshe returned to power,” is the reason stated by the book for theassassination.
“The return of Benazir Bhutto was planned at the behest of the Americans asthey had given her a plan against the Mujahideed-e-Islam. Baitullah hadreceived information of the plan,” the book further claims.
According to reports, no group had previously claimed responsibility forBhutto’s murder until this claim in TTP’s book.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bhutto was killed in a suicideattack in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007.
Former president Pervez Musharraf had even blamed TTP for the attack.
The book claims that two suicide bombers, Bilal and Ikramullah were taskedto carry out the attack.
“Bomber Bilal first fired at Benazir Bhutto from his pistol and the bullethit her neck. Then he detonated his explosive jacket and blew himself upamong the participants of the procession,” the book claimed.
The book has been written by TTP leader Abu Mansoor Asim Mufti Noor Waliand was published on November 30, 2017 at “Maseed Computer Centre inBarmal” which is in Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
It is a 588-page book and contains many photographs of Taliban leaders.
The book even says that TTP was involved in a suicide bombing two monthsearlier at Bhutto’s procession in Karachi in October 2007 that killed 140people but Bhutto remained unhurt.
Revelations by the book relay that Baitullah Mehsud had approved theKarachi attack on Bhutto’s procession.
“Despite attacks on Benazir Bhutto’s procession in Karachi, the governmenthad not taken appropriate security measures that made it possible for theattackers to have easy access to Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi,” the bookstates.
“Ikramullah, a resident of Makeen town in South Waziristan escaped from theblast site and is still alive.”
However, it is not sure if this is the same Ikramullah who was declared anabsconder by an anti-terrorism court along with five others.
Musharraf had been charged in the case as well but ATC declared him anabsconder as well.
The former president and army chief denied his involvement many times anddismissed the charges as politically-motivated.
Subsequently, the ATC convicted two police officials, Saud Aziz who was thepolice chief of Rawalpindi when Bhutto was murdered and Khurram Shahzad, aformer SP of police at Rawal town.
Both of them were sentenced to 17 years in jail but were granted bail bythe Lahore High Court in October 2017.
TTP leadership denied any involvement in the murder until Bhutto’s10th death anniversary.