Islamabad: The Pakistan People's Party today submitted a petition to the United Nations seeking an investigation into the assassination of its chief and former premier Benazir Bhutto after the government refused to forward the request to the world body.

The party simultaneously launched an initiative to lobby governments around the world to back its demand for a UN-led inquiry. A delegation led by Bhutto's security advisor Rehman Malik travelled to Norway to explain the need for an international investigation to trace those responsible for her killing.

"The PPP has a secretariat in New York through which the petition has been sent to the UN," PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar told PTI. "We will also approach governments around the world to explain our demand for the UN-led inquiry and to seek support for it." The petition, signed by PPP co-chairman and Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari, urged the UN to set up an international commission to thoroughly investigate the killing to "bring the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism to justice".

The government had earlier rejected the PPP's demand for a UN-led inquiry on the lines of the investigation into the killing of Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, saying the world body's help could be sought only in matters involving two countries. But Zardari yesterday said the government's claim that Bhutto was murdered by operatives of al-Qaeda had lent weight to the party's demand for a probe by the UN.

Source : PTI