Scotland Yard police yesterday began investigating who killed Benazir Bhutto amid widespread cynicism over what they will achieve.

Not only was the site of the attack in Rawalpindi hosed down shortly after the blast, possibly destroying important evidence, but few believe the detectives will be allowed access to key documents and personnel from the country’s intelligence agencies.

President Pervez Musharraf, who blames the assassination on Al-Qaeda, has denied that there was a government cover-up, describing the clean-up as “inefficiency”. He has criticised his own interior ministry for rushing to claim that Bhutto died from hitting her head on her car’s sunroof when a bomb went off. Associates travelling with her insist Bhutto was shot prior to the explosion and believe the killing was carried out by Pakistan’s intelligence services.

The five British detectives have visited the site of the blast, which killed 23 people aside from Bhutto. They also went to the park where Bhutto addressed her final rally and interviewed doctors at the hospital where she was treated.

Bhutto was killed by bomb blast

The team from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command have backed the claim that Benazir Bhutto was not shot

Multimedia

• Pictures: death of Benazir Bhutto

• Pictures: Pakistan

BACKGROUND

• Pakistan in turmoil as ‘martial law’ imposed

• Bhutto escapes as bombers kill 126

• Timeline: Pakistan's period of turmoil

• The man out to oust a President

• Internal crisis gives Pakistan reason for hope

Related Links

• I begged my Bibi to avoid murder rally

Times Recommends

• Please help: maimed children of war want their lives back
• Cabal seizes diamond riches to buy power
• White House gatecrashers got to the president