LONDON, Oct 28: The UK government is said to be keeping a close watch on the progress of the investigations in Pakistan into the October 18 suicide attack on Benazir Bhutto’s welcome procession as two of its citizens, journalist Christina Lamb and author Victoria Schofield, were also on board the targeted truck.

Also, the appeal to all member countries by the UN Security Council to cooperate with the government of Pakistan in the investigations is said to have encouraged London to continue to probe the possibility of sending its own investigators to Pakistan and providing technical help, if sought officially.

The Sunday Telegraph quoted a Scotland Yard spokesman as saying that any request for help would have to be made via the Foreign Office.

An FCO spokesman said: “We have not yet been contacted by the Pakistani government but any request for assistance would be given careful consideration.”

Talking to Daily Telegraph on Saturday, Ms Bhutto said she wanted answers to the question of who was behind the bombing in Karachi, which killed 139 of her supporters as she returned from exile. She said she had asked for the Scotland Yard’s help with the investigation.

According to the newspaper, Ms Bhutto, who believes that Islamist elements within the government may have had a hand in the attack, said: “I have written to the Pakistan Ministry of Interior, asking them to get Scotland Yard to assist.

”I have done this because Pakistan lacks the scientific capabilities to make such an investigation and to identify not just the perpetrators but the financiers and sponsors.”