Benazir Bhutto plans to purge the intelligence services of hundreds of rogue agents suspected of supporting Islamic terrorism if she becomes prime minister again.In a move that puts her on a collision course with the nation's most powerful institutions, Bhutto said Pakistan's security services had to become "professional" agencies free from political agendas.
Foremost in her sights if she returns to power will be the notorious Inter Services Intelligence, the secretive "state within the state" that is blamed for orchestrating much of the terrorist violence convulsing Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan.
Many suspect it of providing financial and logistical assistance to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the prime suspects in the suicide bombing that killed 140 people during her homecoming parade in Karachi on Thursday.
Bhutto said on Saturday: "I have strong reservations about some of the people still operating within the intelligence services, and we need reforms to get rid of them."
She spoke out as Pakistani authorities said they had detained three men for questioning over the attack, and a police investigator said investigators had also quizzed seven militants in jails in Karachi for possible information on the blasts.
On Saturday, a source close to the investigation disclosed that they thought the bomber had been chosen for the job because of his close physical resemblance to many of Bhutto's security staff.