KARACHI, Oct 23: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto said on Tuesday that the October 18 terrorist attack on her rally should not be made a pretext for cancelling or postponing the general elections.

Talking to media personnel at her Bilawal House residence, she said that her party might join the caretaker set-up if it was convinced that it would be for holding free, fair and transparent elections.

Ms Bhutto questioned the composition of the Election Commission and claimed that its secretary was involved in the 2002 elections.

The former prime minister reiterated her demand for associating foreign experts in the investigation of the bombings and said she had been appalled by government’s insistence on not including foreigners in the probe. She said she feared that evidence might be destroyed with the passage of time.

She again criticised Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s

allegation that the PPP itself was involved in the October 18 blasts and said that only a sick mind would think that way. She alleged that such things were being said to protect the culprits.

AFP adds: The PPP chairperson said extremists were trying to derail upcoming general elections after she received a death threat supposedly from a ‘friend of Al Qaeda’. She vowed to continue campaign for the polls but would not hold large rallies.

Ms Bhutto said the threat, in a letter written in Urdu and received by her lawyer, threatened to ‘slaughter me like a goat’.

“There are elements who want to kill us because they are petrified that the PPP will return and that democracy will return. They are trying to derail the democratic process because they know if the people are employed and educated the forces of extremism and terrorism will be weakened,” she said.

Meanwhile, officials confirmed that two suicide bombers were behind the bomb attacks.

Another badly damaged head was found later at the scene, and his face was being reconstructed with the help of forensic experts, a police official said.

Also, the officer heading the probe into the blasts was expected to be replaced after Ms Bhutto said she had no confidence in him, officials said.

Sindh Home Adviser Wasim Akhtar also confirmed that the change was being considered, although he did not say if it was in response to Ms Bhutto’s claims.

Meanwhile, massive security preparations were under way at her family mausoleum in Larkana as villagers awaited her visit, officials said.

PPP chairperson’s travel plans have been under wraps since the blasts but she has said she planned to visit her ancestral district.

US ambassador: United States ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson on Tuesday called on Ms Bhutto at the Bilawal House.