Security 'could have saved Bhutto'

It also accused intelligence agencies and other officials of severely hampering the investigation into those behind her murder.

Ms Bhutto was killed in a gun and suicide-bomb attack on December 27, 2007, as she was leaving a rally in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, where she was campaigning to return her Pakistan People's Party to power in parliamentary elections.

There had previously been an attempt on her life when she returned to Pakistan 10 weeks earlier on October 18 after more than eight years in self-imposed exile. The panel said her death could have been prevented if the government under then-President Pervez Musharraf, the Punjab state government, and the Rawalpindi District Police had taken adequate measures "to respond to the extraordinary, fresh and urgent security risks that they knew she faced".

The commission also blamed "the autonomy, pervasive reach and

clandestine role of intelligence agencies in Pakistani life" that "underlie many of the problems, omissions and commissions set out in this report".

"Ms Bhutto's assassination could have been prevented if adequate security measures had been taken," the commission said. It also found the investigation into her death was hampered by intelligence agencies and other government officials, "which impeded an unfettered search for the truth".

Mr Musharraf's government blamed Baitullah Mehsud, a Pakistani militant commander with reported links to al-Qaida. CIA officials also said Mehsud was the chief suspect.

But Ms Bhutto's party repeatedly hinted that Mr Musharraf or his allies were involved and demanded a UN probe.

Faranaz Ispahani, spokeswoman for President Asif Ali Zardari, Ms Bhutto's husband, said: "The UN commission has meticulously identified the criminal attitude of the previous dictatorial regime. The report will pave the way for a proper police investigation and possible penal proceedings."

The commission said Mr Musharraf's government, though fully aware and tracking threats against Ms Bhutto, did little more than pass them on to her and provincial authorities and did not take action to neutralise them or ensure "that the security provided was commensurate with the threats". Ms Bhutto's party provided additional security, but the arrangements "lacked leadership and were inadequate and poorly executed", it said.

"The Rawalpindi District Police's actions and omissions in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of Ms Bhutto, including the hosing down of the crime scene and failure to collect and preserve evidence, inflicted irreparable damage to the investigation," the commission said.

And the decision to not conduct a post-mortem examination made it impossible to determine a precise cause of death.

While Ms Bhutto was killed by a 15-year-old suicide bomber, "no one believes that this boy acted alone", it added.

Seven killed in pakistan hospital suicide blast

A suicide bomber attacked a hospital in the south-west Pakistani city of Quetta, killing at least seven people, as Shiite Muslims gathered to mourn a murdered bank manager.

The explosion in Quetta underscored the poor security conditions in Pakistan, where sectarian violence remains a problem even as al-Qaida and Taliban militants pose a growing and linked threat.

Police official Mohammad Sabir said the Shiite bank manager was shot dead on Friday morning. His friends and relatives had gathered at the emergency room when the suicide bomber detonated his weapon outside.