The efforts to prosecute former Pakistani junta leader Pervez Musharraf has taken a major blow today, with the lead prosecutor in his case assassinated en route to court today.
The prosecutor, Chaudhry Zuifiqar Ali, was killed in a hail of gunfire by unknown attackers on motorcycles. He died of his injuries at a nearby hospital, leaving the future of the case in question.
Islamabad police appear stumped on the matter, saying they were “not aware of any threats” against Ali. Though much of Pakistan is awash in violence, Islamabad is usually quiet in this regard.
Ali was leading the case against Musharraf in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, on charges that as President he did not provide sufficient security for the former PPP leader, whose death swept her estranged husband Asif Ali Zardari to power. Musharraf is also facing charges related to killing other rivals, and closing down the Supreme Court and arresting all the judges.
The author seems to be unaware that the prosecutor was responsible for several high profile cases with local news quoting his son as having received threats from Taliban-style forces that are currently wreaking havoc in Pakistan.
The Benazir Bhutto assassination was one of them – and local media have reported that he was under pressure from the FIA itself to recuse himself because he had leaked suggestions that the investigation should cover Rehman Malik (who was in charge of Benazir security for her party – and later became Interior Minister under Zardari).
There is a section of the public who believe Zardari maybe implicated in Benazir's murder (he is the former Mr. 10%) – however I don't support that theory that much.
The likely suspects are Taliban-style forces again – however, there IS some controversy about WHO asked Benazir Bhutto to get out of her bomb-proof car (out the top hatch). It was her emergence at the right time which led to her death (meanwhile everyone else in that car survived). The rumor mill suggests there was a call to someone inside the car to have Benazir stand up out of the car (something which exposed her to risk that would not have been there).
The prosecutor was also responsible for investigating Musharraf – since the PPP (Benazir's party) had blamed Musharraf, when in fact it should have examined it's own stables – the security was not inadequate (Taliban are targeting scores of secular politicians in upcoming elections and it is hard to avoid suicide bombings in any country) – the lynchpin of the whole investigation should be "who breached security by encouraging Benazir to stand up and expose herself from that bomb-proof vehicle".
I'm sure he has done his research. While everything you listed here might be influential to what happened, we should keep in mind the fact that the murder didn't happen right after any one of these events, but it happened after theprosecution of Pervez Musharraf.