Posted on 06/25/2002 1:08:11 PM PDT by Dallas
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 25 (UPI) -- Police said Tuesday that a close aide to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf had taken his own life, but Omar Asghar Khan's political allies said the former minister had been killed.
"Apparently, it is a suicide, but we also are probing other possibilities, including murder," said Karachi Police Chief Asad Jahangir.
Khan, a resident of Islamabad, was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his in-laws' home in Karachi.
A note found near the body said: "To all my dear ones: I could not take it anymore. Please excuse me. I am doing this on my own, no one else is to blame."
Saleem Khan, his brother-in-law, said Omar was to be interviewed by an international television team at 11 a.m. His relatives broke open the door when he did not respond to several knocks, and found him dead.
"He was hanging to the ceiling fan," Saleem Khan said. "Apparently, two bed sheets were used to make the rope."
Police said the autopsy report also stated "hanging as the cause of death."
But Omar's Qaumi Jamhoori Party challenged that version of events and in a statement called it "murder." It urged police to "go beyond apparent signs and look for the real cause of his death."
Omar had telephoned his wife a few hours before he was found dead and told her he would return to Islamabad later Tuesday.
Khan, a widely respected politician who was perceived as honest and outspoken, joined the Musharraf government as a federal minister soon after the October 1999 military coup. He was considered the architect of Musharraf's "democracy at grassroots" program that led to the elections to local bodies last year.
Khan began his career teaching at university but was fired by the former military ruler Gen. Zia ul-Haq for preaching democracy. Before joining the Musharraf government, he ran an aid agency that worked in rural areas.
He was an advocate of local democracy and said Pakistan could never have a true democracy until local bodies were given more power. He also played a key role in persuading Musharraf to hold general elections in October this year, as stipulated by the Pakistan Supreme Court.
Three months ago, he resigned from the government to prepare for the elections because he said the elections would be unfair if he ran as a federal minister.
Copyright © 2002 United Press International
I don't think so either.
He was an advocate of local democracy and said Pakistan could never have a true democracy until local bodies were given more power. He also played a key role in persuading Musharraf to hold general elections in October this year, as stipulated by the Pakistan Supreme Court. Three months ago, he resigned from the government to prepare for the elections because he said the elections would be unfair if he ran as a federal minister.
Seems like this guy was an activist working towards democracy. I think this was a message to Musharraf who coincidently is meeting with Tommy Franks and Donald Rumsfeld in Islamabad today.
I wonder how they're going to spin this...
Leni
are not here, and are having nodding eversowhat to do witt this"
Unless I have my Omar's and Osghars and Khan's mixed up, this guy didn't approve of dictators and his party didn't either. (The UPI should really be more careful.)
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