Suicide attackers tried to kill a leading Pakistani politician today as members of Benazir Bhutto’s political party prepared for critical meetings on whether to boycott January 8 elections following her assassination.

Pakistan said today it did not need foreign assistance to investigate the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, despite deepening controversy over how the former prime minister died and who killed her.

A commander of pro-Taliban militants in Pakistan rejected government claims that he was behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, his spokesman said.