Interpol has issued international notices, at Pakistan’s request, seeking the arrest of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband on corruption charges, officials said. Speaking by phone from France Thursday, Interpol spokeswoman Rachael Billington confirmed that “red notices” had been issued for Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari, but that it was up to member countries to decide what, if any, action to take. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said the government’s anti-corruption body had requested Interpol issue the notices. Bhutto, who was prime minister in the late 1980s and early 1990s, lives in exile in Britain and the United Arab Emirates. She and her husband are wanted in Pakistan in connection with several graft cases. They are currently visiting the United States.
Re: Interpol issues arrest warrants for Benazir and Zardari
Benazir’s red warrant formalised
Contrary to the impression created by some quarters that Interpol has not issued any warrants for the arrest of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari, the headquarters of secretary-general of Interpol at Lyon, France, has published red notices, or international warrants of arrest for the couple. The News has acquired the copies of the Red Warrants which are being reproduced along with this news item for the readers. According to the contents of the Red Warrants, the control number given on Benazir’s Warrant is A-152/1-2006 whereas the file number is 2005/57396 and the date of publication as mentioned in the Interpol document is January 18, 2006. The title of the document carries two headings, (a) and (b) which read: (a) Fugitive wanted to serve a sentence and (b) fugitive wanted for prosecution. At the bottom, there is the provision for action to be taken. The second part of this provision calls upon the countries that consider red notices to be valid requests for provisional arrest, to provisionally arrest the fugitive.
The control number of Zardari’s warrant is A-209/1-2006, while file number is 2005/57470 and date of publication is January 24, 2006. The heading goes: Fugitive wanted for prosecution. Judicial Information in the document, among other things, mentions (None) against the column for time limit for prosecution or expiry of the arrest warrant. In the column of accomplices is mentioned the name of Zardari’s wife, Benazir Bhutto. According to international sources, the formal intimation about the arrest warrants has also been conveyed to the Pakistani authorities soon after the issuance of the warrants. According to these sources, the National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan has been able to win the trust and confidence of the international quarters, especially Interpol, on the basis of its own projection as an organisation committed to eradication of corruption whatever the clout and say — in national or international spheres — of the persons allegedly involved in corrupt practices. Interpol, by issuing the couple’s international warrants of arrest, has in a way endorsed the submissions of the National Accountability Bureau that the former prime minister and her spouse are still wanted back in Pakistan for prosecution in a few cases that have not reached their logical end as yet. The ice appears to have broken with the efforts of the new civil-military combine within the NAB leadership that, according to reliable sources, is not against any particular individual or politician. The top NAB hierarchy is rather known for a strong distaste for corrupt practices and is not likely to spare anyone engaged in corruption even if he or she belongs to political camps other than the PPP. NAB, according to the sources, is expected any moment to come up with other high profile cases of corruption, misuse of authority against high profile people from other walks of life.
Re: Interpol issues arrest warrants for Benazir and Zardari
so its actully true, last night I have seen on TV her non-ashamed macho leaders in Pakistan saying this is all false and denying any such notices issued at all.
now they will say its all govt harrassment agenda agaisnt "Innocents" !
Zaradari was bailed out not acquited from all the cases he is facing.
