UN to delay presentation of Bhutto investigation report

UNITED NATIONS, March 30 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon has accepted an urgent request by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to delay the presentation from an independent commission a report on the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto until April 15, UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky read in a statement on Tuesday.

Ban was expected on Tuesday to share with the Pakistani government the findings of an independent commission, which has completed its examination of facts and circumstances behind Bhutto 's assassination.

"The commission has informed the secretary-general that as of today, all relevant facts and circumstances have been explored and the report is now complete and ready to be delivered," said Nesirky.

No one knows the contents of the report, including President Zardari and the secretary-general, said Nesirky, who said the request was made Monday night.

"This is complete, it's done," he said, "It's not to be added to."

The three-member Commission was headed by Chilean Ambassador Heraldo Munoz and also includes Marzuki Darusman, the former attorney-general of Indonesia, and Peter Fitzgerald, a veteran of the Irish National Police.

The UN Security Council decided last year after "extensive consultations" with the Pakistani government to establish the independent commission.

It is unclear why the urgent request by Zardari was made. Xinhua was unable to reach a spokesperson from Pakistan's mission to the UN before deadline.

The request to delay the commission's findings could be due to security concerns in Pakistan. All UN offices in the country were expected to close for three days as a security precaution while the world body releases its report, according to media reports.