He said he wanted a team of British detectives to look into her murder and help clear up any confusion.

"We decided to request a team from Scotland Yard to come. I sent the request to Prime Minister Brown, and he accepted the request," Mr Musharraf said. He said the British team would provide assistance to local investigators.

Opposition officials have demanded an international investigation into the circumstances of Ms Bhutto's killing in a suicide attack after a rally last Thursday.

In a nationally-televised address, Mr Musharraf called for political reconciliation in the wake of the assassination.

"This is a time for reconciliation and not for confrontation," he said. "The nation has experienced a great tragedy. Benazir Bhutto has died in the hands of terrorists. I pray to God almighty to put the eternal soul of Benazir at peace."

Following Ms Bhutto's death, rioters rampaged through the streets for days, burning cars and shops and accusing the government of being behind her killing. The government has denied the charge.

Mr Musharraf blamed "many miscreants and some political elements" of taking advantage of the tragedy to loot and plunder, adding that the government would deal sternly with anyone who disrupts law and order.

Mr Musharraf also said he had wanted to hold parliamentary elections as scheduled on January 8, but he deferred to the decision of the election commission earlier in the day to postpone them for six weeks due to the violence.

"The election commission has taken a timely and correct decision," he said. "We will hold free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections."