US offers assistance to Pak in probe

TURBULENT NEIGHBOURHOOD

With questions being raised on the credibility of the Pakistan government's probe into the killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto, the US has offered to provide "any assistance or guidance" required by Islamabad for a "full investigation" into the assassination.

The Bush administration, however, made it clear that Pakistan has not asked it for any help.

"Obviously they are a sovereign government and they will have to be conducting that investigation. We have offered to provide any guidance or assistance that is requested," White House Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel said at a briefing in Crawford, Texas.