Seven charged in Bhutto slaying

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Two police officers and five suspected members of the Taliban were charged for their alleged roles in the 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto, a court said.

Two police officers were charged by a court in Rawalpindi of negligence for failing to provide accurate security for Bhutto, a former prime minister. Five suspected members of the Taliban were charged with conspiracy in her death, al-Jazeera reports.

Bhutto was killed Dec. 27, 2007, following a campaign rally for her Pakistan People's Party. She had returned to Pakistan from exile to run in January 2008 parliamentary elections.

A U.N. report on the assassination implicates the government of former President Pervez Musharraf, claiming Pakistani officials at the time "failed profoundly" to protect her.

Nadeem Iqbal, a Pakistani political commentator, told al-Jazeera the Bhutto investigation was highly politicized.

"If we want justice to prevail, we must forget that Musharraf belongs to the Pakistan army or some other influences; we must bring him to the court," he said.

Bhutto was said to be wary of Musharraf as she attempted to return to power in Pakistan from self-imposed exile in London. Her assassination paved the way for Asif Ali Zardari, her husband, to ascend to power.