REFERENCE your editorial `Blame game over Benazir` (Dec 29). Dawn`s view that ousted military dictator Musharraf`s response to PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto`s Dec 27 speech was `crude`, and his contradictory claim on the matter of assassination `astounding` was spot on.

However, misconceptions merit clarification. It is wrong that the PPP government did not attempt to bring Shaheed BB`s killers to justice during its term in office.

The PPP named Musharraf as the principal accused from day one and had been categorical that he purposely enabled her assassins by playing an obscene game of political brinkmanship with her by threatening to withdraw her security knowing full well that the consequences would be deadly. That makes him, at the very least, an accessory to murder. The PPP government requested a UN enquiry commission to investigate the assassination, which effectively corroborated the claim.

Equally, the assertion that the PPP considered `being in the government more important than bringing to justice, or at least putting on trial Benazir`s alleged killers` is disingenuous.

The PPP government`s first and foremost priority was ensuring what BB laid down her life for a successful democratic transaction. This required coaxing Musharraf to reluctantly relinquish power whilst maintaining political stability at a precarious historical moment. Dawn is free to disagree but the dangerous consequences of priotising narrow political agendas, including ill-advised quests for personalvengeance,have been alltoo clear.

The PPP successfully transferred power to a successor government in 2013.

Further, had the PPP government exerted pressure on the criminal justice system in this matter, it would have been accused of perverting the course of justice for political ends.

In any event, it is uncharitable to suggest that Bilawal Bhutto, who was an undergraduate at university in 2007 is `just indulging in political posturing with his attacks against Mr Musharraf`.

Equating a demand for justice with the alleged murderer`s proven perfidy is not balanced journalism.

Humera Alwani Karachi