Islamabad, December 26
Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali today said that the people involved in yesterday’s suicide attack against President Pervez Musharraf in Rawalpindi had been identified. He, however, refused to give further details, saying that these would be provided after the investigation was completed.

He also said according to the “Blue Book” all security personnel were responsible for the security of the President and hinted at a possible revamping of the set-up.

The security forces have been put on high alert throughout the capital and neighbouring garrison town of Rawalpindi in view of the three-day SAARC summit beginning from January 4. Mr Jamali said the summit would be held as scheduled.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid had said yesterday that the suicide bombers had carried out the attack on President Musharraf’s motorcade when he was on his way to his official residence from Islamabad.

Investigators had got “important clues” about the terrorists involved in the attack, Mr Jamali had told reporters in Parliament House.

Disagreeing that there was a security lapse, the Prime Minister said the security system would, however, be revamped. He pointed out that it was very difficult to check the suicide attackers.

President Musharraf held closed-door discussions with top intelligence and security officials today to review his security arrangements as well as for the SAARC summit.

Meanwhile, the toll in the attack has risen to 15 with one of the injured succumbing to his injuries today.

Mr Rashid was quoted as saying that investigators had found what they believed was the skin from the face of one of the suicide bombers. “It appears that he is not a Pakistani,” he said, without giving details. Witnesses had told the police that the attackers had small beards and long hair. Initial suspicion of the police was that the attacks had been carried out by Al-Qaida militants who could either be Pakistanis, Arabs or members of the group from other nations.

Meanwhile, Pakistan today ruled out the postponement of the SAARC summit in Islamabad in the light of the repeated attempts on the life of President Musharraf and said “foolproof” security arrangements had been put in place to protect the visiting foreign dignitaries.

Asserting that there was no question of postponing the SAARC summit, Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said the attacks were aimed at destabilising the country and damaging its reputation abroad.