Musharraf forms committee to dispose of cases against Bhutto

The Pakistan government has constituted a three-member committee for "speedy" disposal of cases pending in foreign courts against former premier Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari.

The panel will comprise Attorney General Malik Qayyum, caretaker Law Minister Syed Afzal Haider and the law secretary.

President Pervez Musharraf took the decision for "speedy" disposal of cases pending in foreign courts, including those in Switzerland, against Bhutto and others.

Qayyum confirmed the setting up of the committee by the president.

He said the panel is yet to prepare its terms of reference to carry out its task.

"I cannot say (anything at this point) as we have yet to go into the details," he told The News when asked whether cases against Bhutto are being withdrawn.

The committee will have decision-making powers to deal with these cases, The News quoted official sources as saying.

The committee was constituted on his Pirzada's advice, the report said. Bhutto and members of her Pakistan People's Party have denied maintaining bank accounts in foreign lands.

Sources in the National Accountability Bureau Secretariat also said the presidential camp had given a clear signal to it to go ahead with investigations into alleged corruption cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his kin as these cases were different from that of Bhutto's.