KARACHI, July 13: Pakistan Sunni Movement chief Shah Sirajul Haq Qadri’s cross-examination on Thursday revealed more discrepancies in his statements to the tribunal and the investigators.
The PSM chief, for instance, made no mention of the threats made by a follower of Mufti Munir Shakir of the NFWP to Altaf Qadri or Tariq Mahboob of the Jammat Ahle Sunnat. Altaf Qadri, who is the complainant in the Nishtar Park blast case of April 11, did not inform the investigation officer of the threats or warnings in his statement under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code either.
Additional Advocate-General Sarwar Khan gave a party-wise break-up of the casualty figures and informed the tribunal probing the blast that 40 people belonging to the Jamaat Ahle Sunnat of Shah Turabul Haq Qadri, father of the PSM chief, were killed in the explosion. Siraj Qadri said according to his information, 26 people affiliated with the Jamaat were killed.
The AAG also contradicted Siraj Qadri’s contention that a public meeting held at Annu Bhai Park, Nazimabad, condemned the celebration of Eid-i-Milad. He said he would produce a cassette containing the speeches made at the meeting. The chain of events leading to the April 11 explosion related by the witness in his testimony before the tribunal did not find any mention in the statements recorded by him and other Sunni leaders under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The law officer said the threatening phone calls were probed by a town police officer but the mobile phones they were alleged to have been made from were issued against fictitious identity cards. The officer could not, therefore, trace the callers or the owners of cell phones.
The PSM chief’s testimony concluded on Thursday and the tribunal, which consists of Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi of the Sindh High Court, adjourned the proceedings to Saturday for recording of more evidence.
