KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmaker Rashid Godil on Sunday briefly spoke to officials investigating the Aug 18 armed attack on his life in which his driver was killed. However, the police decided that his formal statement would be recorded later.

DIG-East Munir Ahmed Shaikh told Dawn that he called on Mr Godil at the Liaquat National Hospital, where he is under treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU).

“I talked to him briefly and the lawmaker communicated through signs and gestures,” said the DIG, who is leading the probe team.

The DIG said that Mr Godil told him that he left his residence in Defence with his wife and driver and was on his way to Bahadurabad when he was attacked. He was sitting next to the driver, he added.

He said he had heard gunshots clearly and the driver had got off the car to help him but fell down.

The police did not ask more questions since he was in pain and decided that his formal statement would be recorded later.

A police source told Dawn that Mr Godil was also asked about his statement in Islamabad that his life was in danger. However, he replied that he gave such a statement in a lighter mood, the source added.

Meanwhile, doctors at the LNH said they would decide on Monday when to move Mr Godil from the ICU to a medical ward as he made good progress on the fourth day since he was taken off the ventilator.

A spokesman for the hospital said Mr Godil drank water and slowly sipped tea and made steady progress without the breathing apparatus for the fourth day running.

“He briefly sat on a wheelchair today under strict observation and was in his senses, an encouraging sign” said LNH spokesman Anjum Rizvi.

He said Mr Godil was mentally alert and was responding positively. He could not speak though because of swelling in the neck. He whispers but mostly communicates through signs and gestures. However, Mr Rizvi said that a board of senior doctors would shift him to the ward if his condition improved further.

Until then, he added, the MNA’s condition would be considered as critical.

Doctors said Mr Godil had sustained five bullet wounds — two in the neck and three in the chest and abdomen. One bullet which affected his right lung was still in the body and would stay there as he was not stable enough to be operated upon.

Mr Godil, a former parliamentary party leader of the MQM in the National Assembly, was attacked the day Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman visited the MQM’s Nine Zero headquarters to persuade the legislators to review their decision of resigning from parliament and the Sindh Assembly.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015

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