Click to play videoNew Delhi: Chairman of Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaaf party Imran Khan on Friday blamed President Pervez Musharraf for Benazir Bhutto’s death. In a telephonic interview with CNN-IBN, Khan questioned the security arrangements – rather the lack of them – made for Bhutto after the unsuccessful attempt on her life in October.
CNN-IBN: Al Qaeda has taken responsibility for Benazir Bhutto's death. Do you hold Musharraf responsible?
Khan: I hold Musharraf responsible. He was responsible for security. After the first blast, she (Bhutto) wanted an independent enquiry. There were big doubts if it was a suicide bomber or a bomb blast. Whenever there is an attack, we blame it on al-Qaeda. How do we know who is responsible? She should have been given more security. How did these people get close to her when Musharraf knew she was a target?
CNN-IBN: Musharraf in a public address said he needed to take on jehadi terror. He says he hands are tied.
Khan: I have been hearing this for six years. Every time something happens, he comes on TV, puts up a bold face and says he will root out terrorism. Terrorism is growing by the day in Pakistan. This year has been the worst year. What new is he going to do? Clearly, he is not the solution, he is the problem. Musharraf is like a red rag to a bull.
CNN-IBN: What do you want specifically? Given the situation is chaotic, what do you want from the government of the day?
Khan: Like the entire Opposition, I want Musharraf to step down. We want a caretaker government, we want judiciary to be re-instated, we want judiciary to conduct an enquiry into this assassination. That is the only way out of this.
CNN-IBN: You have been her staunch political rival. How will you judge Benazir? How will history judge Benazir Bhutto?
Khan: A very courageous woman. She knew the stakes and the threat she faced. She was under no illusion that she was a target. I haven’t seen anyone else as courageous as that
CNN-IBN: How would you view the situation in Pakistan. Is there still room ahead for hope, optimism?
Khan: In fact, I am more optimistic that ever before. There is a huge change in Pakistan, the independent media has been clamped down, 60 per cent of the judiciary was sacked, the lawyers’ movement and media has changed. People want democracy and in my opinion we are passing through a transition: from dictatorship to democratic setup. It’s going to be a painful transition. But eventually we would move to democracy.
CNN-IBN: Should elections be held on January 8 ?
Khan: If Musharraf holds elections on January 8, it will be the biggest joke. Who is going to take out rallies? Who will attend these rallies? Yesterday not just Benazir was assassinated, Nawaz Sharif, he had five of his people killed at a rally. He could also have been assassinated. You could have had a situation where the two top leaders could have been assassinated in one day.
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