The Pakistani detective, who cracked the killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl five years ago, has joined the team probing the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Zubair Mahmood of the Federal Investigation Agency in the port city of Karachi has been deputed to join the Pakistani team working with investigators from Britain's Scotland Yard to probe the assassination.

Reports said the interior ministry had decided to rope in Mahmood for his experience in handling high-profile cases, like the abduction and killing of journalist Daniel Pearl by militants.

Mahmood was also sent to the West Indies [Images] in 2007 to assist the Jamaican police investigate the death of Pakistan cricket team coach Bob Woolmer.

The British investigators have been working closely with the Special Investigation Group of the Federal Investigation Agency to probe Bhutto's assassination in Rawalpindi on December 27. Mahmood is believed to be the inspiration for the character portrayed by Indian actor Irfan Khan in the film 'A Mighty Heart', which was based on the book by Daniel Pearl's widow Mariane.