ISLAMABAD: The man who opened the escape hatch (sunroof) of Benazir Bhutto’s vehicle allegedly on the direction of her political secretary Naheed Khan did not mention it in his statement recorded before the court.

On September 2, Javed Rehman, a driver of the Zardari House, testified before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) that Abdul Razzaq Mirani, the in charge of the Bilawal House Karachi, opened the escape hatch on the direction of Naheed Khan.

He claimed that on December 27, 2007, while they were leaving Liaquat Bagh, a large number of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) activists surrounded the vehicle and started chanting slogans.

According to Rehman, this was the time when Ms Khan unsuccessfully tried to open the escape hatch and then asked Mirani to do so. He claimed Naheed Khan also urged Ms Bhutto to rise and wave to the crowd.

It may be mentioned that at least two senior police officers - SSP Yasin Farooq and SSP retired Major Imtiaz - in their statements admitted that Ms Bhutto could have remained unhurt had she not emerged from the sunroof of her bulletproof vehicle.

However, Naheed Khan rejected the claim of the driver and filed an application with the ATC seeking the record of the proceedings in the Benazir murder case, including the copies of the investigation reports, challans, statements of about 70 witnesses, including that of Rehman and Mirani.

ATC Judge Rai Mohammad Ayub Khan Marth on Saturday directed the prosecution - Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) - to provide the record to Ms Khan.

As per the court record, Razzaq Mirani recorded his statement with the ATC on May 6, 2015. In the statement, he said on February 2, 2011, FIA additional director Azad Khan contacted and asked him for the delivery of the two BlackBerry phones which were under the use of Ms Bhutto.

“After seeking permission from the family members of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, I produced the BlackBerry phones,” the statement added.

On February 2, 2011, Mirani while recording his statement before the FIA additional director stated that on December 27, 2007, he was working as a personal attendant with Ms Bhutto. Mirani said after the assassination of Ms Bhutto, he kept her handbag and the two mobile phones under a lock in her bedroom on the direction of the family members. He said neither the police nor any other law enforcement agency had ever inquired him about the mobile phones.

The February 2011 statement of Mirani, however, is silent about the opening of the escape hatch.

Likewise, as per the court record, in his statement recorded before the Rawalpindi police on December 28, 2007, driver Rehman said Ms Bhutto had emerged from the sunroof of the vehicle but did not mention who had asked her to do so.

After the court directed the prosecution to hand over the statement of witnesses and other record to Naheed Khan, she told mediapersons that after examining the record she would decide whether to become a party in the case or not.

The ATC judge issued show-cause notices to the superintendent and additional superintendent of Adiala Jail, SP and SHO Saddar Berooni for what the court observed making poor arrangements for the jail trial of the accused.

Further proceedings in the Benazir murder case were adjourned till September 21.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2015

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