ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has decided to examine its former boss Rehman Malik in the Benazir Bhutto murder case after former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf told interrogators that Mr Malik had decided details of security for the Dec 27, 2007, public meeting in Rawalpindi where she was assassinated.

FIA sources told Dawn on Sunday that during interrogation Gen Musharraf had denied his involvement in the murder and said the former prime minister had been killed because of security breach for which Rehman Malik, being in-charge of her internal security, was responsible.

Mr Malik served as interior minister during the five-year PPP government and the FIA worked directly under him when it was tasked with investigation into the assassination of Benazir. The joint investigation team (JIT) was constituted by Mr Malik and it never examined him in connection with the murder case.

According to the sources, Gen Musharraf said it was the responsibility of Mr Malik to persuade Benazir not to come out of her bullet-proof car because police could not force her to remain inside.

The JIT decided to record the statement of Mr Malik in order to fulfil a legal requirement mandatory in such investigations, especially after revelations by the former military ruler, the sources said, adding that the JIT would issue a notice to Mr Malik on Monday morning and record his statement the same day.

According to them, Gen Musharraf also claimed that Mr Malik was a mediator between his government and the PPP and he was negotiating with police for security arrangements for the Dec 27, 2007, public gathering at Liaquat Bagh. Benazir Bhutto and 23 other people were killed in a terrorist attack outside the park after the rally, although 1,371 policemen had been deployed for her security.

Barrister Salman Safdar, the counsel for Gen Musharraf, confirmed that the former president had asked why Mr Malik had not been examined so far.

He said that at the time of the assassination, SSP retired Major Imtiaz, who was very close to Benazir, was also with her in the bullet-proof car. “After Mr Malik it was the duty of Major Imtiaz to stop Benazir from coming out of the car after she had successfully addressed the public gathering.”

Mr Safdar said that arrangements Mr Malik had made on the day were only known to him. “Why there was such a major security breach which facilitated the attack is also a guarded secret and only Mr Malik can answer. The former interior should also explain why the FIA took control of the case when the then Punjab government had already constituted a JIT to investigate the matter,” he asked.

The JIT notified by the Punjab government in early 2008 comprised DIG Mushtaq Sukhera, SP Waqar Chohan and SP (investigation) Tahir Ayub.

But on Aug 6, 2009, the PPP government had transferred the case to the FIA’s Special Investigation Group and constituted another JIT headed by FIA additional director general Khalid Qureshi.

On April 26, Gen Musharraf filed an application in an anti-terrorism court and requested it to reconstitute a JIT when the FIA produced him before it to obtain his physical remand.

But ATC Judge Chaudhry Habibur Rehman rejected the application and advised Gen Musharraf to approach a proper forum for relief.

In his application filed by Barrister Salman Safdar, the former army chief alleged that Rehman Malik was security in-charge of Benazir and she was killed because of his negligence.

When this reporter contacted Mr Malik, his operator attended the call and after noting down the question said Mr Malik would soon respond. But he did not call till late in the evening.