A team of Scotland Yard experts will assist Pakistani investigators in probing the circumstances of the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto, President Pervez Musharraf said in a televised address to the nation.

He said the team would fill the gap in expertise of Pakistani investigators and help in forensic and other tasks.

Refuting accusations and confusion that followed in the aftermath of the tragic event, Musharraf said extremists and terrorists were responsible for Bhutto’s death. He vowed to eliminate tribal militant Baitullah Mehsud and Swat’s cleric Molvi Fazlullah. He urged the media not to project them or propagate their falsehood. Instead, he asked the media to encourage and support the army that was fighting terror.

Speaking a couple of hours after the Election Commission announced the postponement of elections till February 18, Musharraf said this delay was inevitable and unavoidable because of serious law and order situation, particularly in Sindh and the fact that the Elections Commission’s operations in most districts of Sindh had been disrupted.

He vowed to hold free, fair and peaceful elections and declared that the army and paramilitary Rangers would be deployed to ensure peaceful and orderly elections and deal with any disruption.

In an apparent reference to continuing campaign by the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) and lawyers, Musharraf warned that no agitation would be allowed in the country and those trying to derail the electoral process would be dealt with sternly.

He said in Sindh rioting, arson and looting was carried out after the assassination of Bhutto. “It had political and ethnic overtones and specific groups and individuals were targeted,” he added. He said estimated Rs 1 billion worth of damage had been caused by rioters.