January 01, 2008	Tuesday	Zilhaj 21, 1428

KARACHI, Dec 31: Condemning PPP leader Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, the Sindh High Court Bar Association on Monday called for immediate formation of a consensus national government which may hold free and fair elections in the country.

A resolution passed by a general body meeting of the association said “the so-called interim government has failed to maintain its neutrality and independence and is, in fact, a continuation of the military rule.”

Describing Ms Bhutto’s assassination as an “irreparable national loss”, the resolution said: “It is very shocking to note that the federal and Punjab governments failed to provide adequate security to Ms Bhutto which, in the considered view of the association, amounts to criminal negligence on the part of both the governments.”

The association demanded investigation into the incident with the help of foreign experts, who should also be associated with probes into the Nishtar Park and Karsaz bomb explosions. The inquiry tribunal being set up under a high court judge would not give independent findings because the probe would be conducted by a PCO judge whose independence and integrity was doubtful in the eyes of lawyers, it added.