Bhutto's Swiss accounts 'have drug cash link'

PAKISTANI investigators say they have evidence that part
of the frozen Swiss bank accounts of Benazir Bhutto and her
husband, Asif Ali Zardari, are linked to drug money.

Saifur Rehman, a senator heading the Government's
accountability unit, said authorities had documentary proof
that millions of pounds which were deposited in the overseas
bank accounts of the former Prime Minister and members of
her family were acquired by criminal means.

The Swiss Government last week ordered the freezing of the
bank accounts of six companies reportedly owned by Miss
Bhutto, her husband, and her mother, Begum Nusrat Bhutto,
for three months at Pakistan's request. The Swiss bank
accounts reportedly contain around ú40 million which,
Pakistani authorities say, were deposited by the former
Prime Minister and her family members.

"We can prove a part of that money is drugrelated," said the
senator in an interview with a national English language
newspaper, The News. Mr Rehman, the chief investigator,
hinted that Miss Bhutto and Mr Zardari may face further
criminal charges.

The latest accusation against the former Prime Minister, that
she was linked to drug money, has given a new turn to the
financial scandal, perhaps the biggest in the country's history.
Pakistani authorities claim that the former Prime Minister and
her husband had acquired property and bank accounts
worth ú1 billion in nine countries, including Switzerland,
Britain, France and America. Pakistan has also requested
London and Washington to freeze the couple's accounts.

Mr Rehman said the Government had been assured of
cooperation if Pakistan could provide evidence that the
money was acquired through illegal means. According to
him, the British Government was keen to know whether that
included drug money. "We believe that we can prove some
of it is," he said.

Money was allegedly acquired from commissions received
by Mr Zardari for granting government contracts and
licences. A former Minister of Investment, Mr Zardari was
known as "Mr Ten Per Cent". He was arrested last year
after the dismissal of Miss Bhutto's Government and is facing
trial on charges ranging from murder to corruption and
misuse of power. The scandal has dealt a serious blow to
Miss Bhutto's opposition Pakistan's People's Party, which is
still reeling from its humiliating defeat in the last parliamentary
election. Miss Bhutto defended herself by saying that she
came from a rich family and can own property and bank
accounts. "They have to prove that I and my family members
have committed any crime," she said.

Miss Bhutto is alleged to have paid less than ú1,500 in
income tax last year while Mr Zardari, reputed to be the
richest man in Pakistan, paid slightly more than ú2,000. The
amount is less than what an ordinary civil servant pays. The
investigators maintain that Miss Bhutto could not justify the
large amounts in her bank accounts.

If convicted, Miss Bhutto could be barred from politics for
seven years and may also be jailed. It would be the first
disqualification of a former Prime Minister on corruption
charges in Pakistan.