Benazir assassination case Forensic record reveals stunning details

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: The forensic record related to Benazir Bhutto assassination case submitted in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has revealed that the two accused have set wake-up alarm clocks in their mobile phones for December 27, 2007 – the day when Ms Bhutto was assassinated as she was leaving after addressing a public gathering in Liaquat Bagh of Rawalpindi.

ATC judge Shahid Rafique resumed hearing of BB assassination case on Saturday. The prosecution produced four witnesses for recording of statements.

The witnesses included Nouman Ashraf Deputy Director FIA's counterterrorism wing and forensic expert, PTCL officials Sarfraz Ahmed and Saeed Qureshi as well as Ghulam Abbas, the owner of the house that was being used by the accused Rafaqat Hussain and Hasnain Gul.

Ashraf submitted forensic record of the Black Berry sets of Ms Bhutto and the phones of the accused.

The record comprising of two reports of 82 and 54 pages revealed that the accused had set 4:45 am as the wake-up alarm on their cell phones for December 27 and they also contacted each other.

Ghulam Abbas, owner of the house, in his statement, said that the accused remained his tenants from 2003 to 2007. PTCL officials provided the call data of the landline telephones installed at the said house to the court.

The court summoned 7 prosecution witnesses on December 24 and adjourned the hearing. On the next date of hearing the court would record statement of the magistrate who had earlier recorded the statements of the accused, DSP Ishtiaq Shah, a director of PTCL and other police officials.

FIA special prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali said that the statements of the witnesses were supporting the version of the prosecution and were connecting the accused with the assassination.

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