Islamabad: Pakistan's Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry today announced that he would probe the deadly attack on former Premier Benazir Bhutto's homecoming procession to bring the perpetrators to book and restore the people's confidence in the government.

The move by Chaudhry comes at a time when the apex court is hearing petitions against General Pervez Musharraf's candidature in the October six presidential poll and deportation of former Premier Nawaz Sharif to Jeddah within hours of his return here from exile last month.

Chaudhry has been at the centre of a confrontation between the judiciary and Musharraf since the General unsuccessfully tried to sack him.

"More than a week has passed since these bloody explosions occurred, however, no clue has so far been found explaining the reasons and the persons involved," a statement issued by the Supreme Court said.

Chaudhry has taken the suo motu action in the matter and scheduled the case for hearing tomorrow, the statement said. Two blasts hit Bhutto's motorcade in the port city of Karachi on October 18 hours after she returned to Pakistan from exile, killing nearly 140 people and injuring hundreds more.

The attack has implications for political activities in Pakistan and its reverberations "are being heard in international quarters," the statement said. 

Source : PTI