Cross-examination of the US lobbyist Mark Siegel, a prosecution witness in the Benazir murder case has been delayed because of his non-availability. Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmed, special prosecutor of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the Benazir murder case informed the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Rawalpindi that the ministry of foreign affairs has been asked to contact the Pakistan's embassy in the US for contacting Siegel.
The report regarding the availability of Siegel would be submitted to the ATC on next date of hearing ie October 12. Siegel in his recent written statement has said that on September 25, 2007, Ms Bhutto along with her spouse Asif Ali Zardari met Congressman Tom Lantos where she received a telephonic call of the then president of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf (Retd).
"Mr Siegel claimed that after talking to General Musharraf, Ms Bhutto was feeling "very low". "Ms Bhutto took me aside, I asked what was wrong and she replied it was a very bad call. He (Musharraf) was threatening me, he was abusive, he was shouting. He demanded I shall not return, until the elections.
"He (Musharraf) was threatening me. He said I was breaking the deal. I told him there was no such deal and he knew it", the statement quoted Ms Bhutto as saying. The statement further said "the PPP had sought permission from General Musharraf to bring foreign security officials with her and four tinted glass cars, but both of these requests were refused. Siegel testified that while watching coverage of Ms Bhutto's return to Pakistan on television, he noted that the people in her surroundings were talking on mobile phones which means that the Musharraf government did not provide her 'jammers' despite earlier commitment." Another prosecution witness, Inspector Kashif Riaz also appeared before the ATC on Monday as one of the defence counsels and wanted to cross examine him, but the court postponed the cross-examination till October 12 on the request of the counsel.
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