17 years on, Benazir Bhutto’s assassination remains shrouded in mystery

Seventeen years have passed since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan’s first female prime minister, but the full truth behind her tragic death remains elusive.

During this time, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has held power nearly three times but has yet to deliver clarity on the murder to the public.

Benazir was killed on the evening of December 27, 2007, after addressing a rally at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi. As she departed the venue, gunshots were followed by a powerful explosion, claiming her life and leaving the nation in shock.

Several individuals and groups have been accused over the years, including al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, former president General Pervez Musharraf, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) founder Baitullah Mehsud, and police officers Saud Aziz and Khurram Shehzad.

While the Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court sentenced the two police officers to 17 years in prison for negligence and tampering with evidence, five other suspects were acquitted in 2017 after over 300 hearings.

Investigations by Scotland Yard and a UN commission also pointed fingers at certain military officials, but the PPP government rejected the UN report through its own inquiry committee.

Key suspects Baitullah Mehsud and Osama bin Laden were later killed in drone strikes and military operations, while no evidence was found to implicate Musharraf.

The case is effectively closed now, with appeals against the police officers’ convictions still pending. Some insiders claim that concrete evidence regarding the real culprits was never presented in court. Meanwhile, TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud acknowledged in his book that the group was behind Benazir’s assassination. However, he provided no details on who ordered the killing or the broader conspiracy.

The questions surrounding Benazir Bhutto’s murder linger, leaving a painful void in Pakistan’s pursuit of justice and accountability.