Pakistan and the Bhutto Assassination: A New-and-Improved Official Explanation

Pakistan's Interior Ministry's dropped the (possibly non-existent) sun roof handle as the instrument of Bhutto's death, according to the "Hindustan Times." They're sticking with the skull fracture part of the story, though: and that may be accurate.

I still haven't read what's so important about whether Benazir Bhutto died from a bullet wound, or because the concussion from an explosion cracked her head against part of her vehicle - Aside from the very non-trivial and disturbing detail of a government agency coming up with a cause of death that was somewhat implausible. And then coming up with another explanation.

The obvious reason for Pakistanis being so upset with the 'window handle' story is that it makes the Pakistani government sound like liars: and clumsy ones, at that.

Another strong possibility, in my opinion, is that there's something in Pakistani culture which makes an explosion leading to a blow on the head preferable, from the Musharraf administration point of view, to admitting that a bullet or shrapnel was what killed Bhutto.

Or, maybe the explanation sounded worse in the original language than it did in English.

In any event, the Pakistani government seems to be trying to get at least one foot out of its mouth.

Posts about Benazir Bhutto.