A day after Pakistan agreed to grant former prime minister Benazir Bhutto an amnesty from prosecution in corruption cases against her, the Interpol has put the government in a fix by enquiring about her status.
The Interpol had issued red corner notice against the self-exiled Pakistan People's Party Chairperson on a request from the government in January 2006, following which Bhutto was termed a 'wanted person'.
"The Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France, has asked the government of Pakistan if Bhutto is still a wanted person as its database at the general secretariat indicated and if the red notice against the PPP leader was still valid," The Dawn reported on Wednesday, quoting an unnamed source as saying.
According to the source, the Federal Investigation Agency has written to the National Accountability Bureau Chairperson for advice.
"It is the National Accountability Bureau that is to decide about the status of the red notice. Although, the red corner notice had been issued on its instruction, we have not received any directive from the NAB in this connection," FIA Director-General Tariq Pervez was quoted as saying.
Bhutto was charged by the NAB with illegally amassing properties and money in bank accounts overseas while in power.
She had also been convicted of money laundering in Switzerland in 2003.
It may be mentioned that Bhutto -- who had served as Premier between 1988 and 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996, and has been living in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai since 1999 because of the charges pending against her -- is due to return to Pakistan on October 18.
