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NRO was not Benazir specific: Rehman Malik

* Interior minister refutes Musharraf’s claim, says Benazir never asked for ‘anything illegal’

ISLAMABAD: Refuting former president Pervez Musharraf’s claim, Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday said the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) had not been promulgated just to let Benazir Bhutto return to the country.

Speaking to a private TV channel, the minister said the NRO was a unilateral step taken by the government of the time.

"When its (NRO) draft was sent to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership, Benazir had asked me to reject it," Malik said.

Malik said Musharraf had asked Benazir to delay her return to the country until December 31, 2007, but she had refused since she had already announced the date of her return and she did not want to break her promise to the people of Pakistan.

The minister said Benazir had returned to Pakistan despite facing security threats, both domestic and foreign.

To a question, he said Benazir’s assassination was part of an international conspiracy, which was why the government had asked the UN to lead the investigation.

He said the probe was very complex and a timeframe could not be given for its completion.

"We want the investigation to be result-oriented," he said, adding that patience as needed to get to the truth.

To a question, he said Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani supported democracy, adding that all the speculations about a dispute between the military and the government were baseless.

No dishonest act: Malik said he was an honest official, adding that Benazir had never asked him to do anything illegal or immoral.

He said he had been arrested for his loyalty to Benazir and later released when his captors had failed to prove any wrong doings on his part.

The minister said he had tried to live in the country but certain security threats against him and his family had forced him to go abroad. app

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