KARACHI: Police officer says he had no evacuation experience : Oct 18 blasts inquiry tribunal
By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque
KARACHI, Dec 26: The senior police officer tasked with supervising the security arrangements of Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming procession on Oct 18 told an inquiry tribunal on Wednesday that he had never before performed an evacuation procedure.Crime Investigation Department SP Pir Farid Jan Sarhandi, who was also entrusted with the task of escorting Ms Bhutto to her residence in the event of a terror attack, gave a detailed account of their flight from Karsaz to Bilawal House before the tribunal headed by Justice (retd) Dr Ghaus Mohammad.
The tribunal’s hearing was held at the anti-terrorism courts complex.
SP Sarhandi said that Ms Bhutto remained “calm and confident” in the aftermath of the blasts.
He testified that on Oct 18 he followed Ms Bhutto’s procession from Karachi airport in a vehicle which was on the rear side of the truck carrying the PPP leader.
The SP said that at about 12.05am or 12.10 am, he heard the first blast at a distance of 10 to 15 feet from the main vehicle. He said that he immediately left his vehicle and rushed towards Ms Bhutto’s vehicle and after about half a minute the second blast, which was very powerful, was heard. “The first blast took place on the front side of the main vehicle and the second blast took place on the left side,” he said.
He informed the tribunal that he also sustained an injury on his right leg, which left him stunned for a while. However, he regained his senses within seconds and rushed into the compartment of the main vehicle where Ms Bhutto and Nahid Khan were sitting. “I introduced myself and informed her that it was my duty to evacuate her safely. She asked me whether transport has been arranged and I told her that it will be done,” he said.
SP Sarhandi said that PPP leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza also came to the compartment and inquired about Ms Bhutto’s wellbeing. “In the meantime,” the officer said, “a bullet-proof jeep was arranged and I took Ms Bhutto, Ms Khan and Dr Fahmida Mirza to Bilawal House.”
Answering a question, he informed the tribunal that Sharea Faisal was the route adopted for Ms Bhutto’s evacuation. Only one vehicle carrying Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and some PPP volunteers was following Ms Bhutto’s bullet-proof jeep that sped to Bilawal House, he added.
In response to another question, he explained that he was not in Ms Bhutto’s jeep, which was left-hand drive and parked closed to the main vehicle. He said the only man, other than the driver, present in the jeep was PPP representative Major (retd) Imtiaz, adding that the other occupants were Ms Bhutto, Dr Fahmida Mirza, Nahid Khan and a woman whom he did not know.
He said he was on the roof of the bullet-proof jeep at the time of evacuation but later got away and managed to get inside the vehicle following Ms Bhutto’s jeep.
He said that a number of people were dying or injured on the front side of the main vehicle. He, however, claimed that the route of Ms Bhutto’s evacuation was cleared as the crowd had dispersed after the blast.
“What was the situation of light and were the streetlights on?” Justice (retd) Dr Ghaus asked the SP, who replied that he did not notice whether the streetlights were on or off at the place of twin bombings.
The tribunal questioned him whether it was darkness when he was evacuating Ms Bhutto upon which the officer said that it was not completely dark as bodies could be seen lying on the road.
In response to another query, he said that when he approached Ms Bhutto with the request for evacuation after the blast, she was calm and confident. “At Bilawal House, Ms Bhutto inquired me as to how the incident took place. I told her that two blasts were heard but I could not say as to how that happened,” he said.
He said that afterwards the former premier went inside the house and he along with her personal security staff sat there while her manager provided him first aid. He contacted SSP Security Amin Yousufzai and informed him that he had brought Ms Bhutto safely to Bilawal House.
He said that he, along with a friend, went to Ziauddin Hospital in Clifton for further treatment as despite having dressing, the bleeding had not stopped.
He told the tribunal that he did not submit any report regarding the incident. However, his statement under Section 161 of the criminal procedure code was recorded. He said that the next day the SSP Security called him and quizzed him about the incident.The tribunal inquired him about the vehicle of float commander SP Javed Baloch at the time of evacuation. The officer deposed that he did not see SP Baloch at the time of the incident as well as at the time of evacuation.
Earlier, the tribunal recorded the statement of DIG Headquarters Waseem Ahmed, who informed the tribunal that, as principal staff officer of the Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh, he was responsible for recording minutes at meetings and coordinating on his behalf.
He produced a copy of the minutes of a meeting held on October 17 and chaired by the IGP Sindh. Twelve police officials and six representatives of the PPP including Nisar Khuhro, Zulfiqar Mirza, Agha Siraj Durrani, Maj-Gen (retd) Ahsan, Rashid Rabbani and Maj (retd) Imtiaz were present. He conceded that Pakistan Rangers were not invited to the meeting.
He said that minutes of the meeting containing recommendations for the security of Ms Bhutto’s procession were issued to all concerned including the city police chief, the special branch and the CID, but no responses were received owing to the fact that the officials concerned were not asked to submit follow-up reports.
“Did you ask them to implement [the recommendations]?” asked the tribunal, upon which the DIG said that since he had not asked for any compliance report, therefore, no confirmation was sought for the implementation of the measures.
Answering a query, he informed the tribunal that one week prior to October 17, the police department received source reports regarding the possibility of a terrorist activity on October 18. He told the tribunal that the IGP Sindh had also chaired two further meetings on October 9 and October 12.
DIG Ahmed said that terror threat related information was received from the local as well as the federal level and the IGP Sindh passed on the information to the city police chief and others for further necessary action, including verification of the source reports and neutralisation of threat perception.
However, he maintained that after the incident, a meeting was held in the office of IGP Sindh which was also attended by PPP representatives including Dr Zulfiqar Mirza. He could not recall names of other participants from the PPP side and informed the tribunal that no minutes were prepared.
The tribunal directed him to produce minutes of the meetings and reserved his further testimony for December 29.
