KARACHI, June 24: The Nishtar Park blast inquiry tribunal admonished a provincial attorney and the police investigators on Saturday for delayed production of pictorial evidence.
Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi of the Sindh High Court, who constitutes the tribunal, expressed his displeasure when AAG Sarwar Khan produced a CD containing pictures shot by photographer Syed Imran Ali of Qaumi Akhbar at the end of his examination as an eye-witness. The judge said an album of photographs made over to the IGP much earlier was given to him only on Friday. Two pages in the album are blank. Where are the photographs? Are they missing or have they been removed? “Should I conclude that you are suppressing evidentiary material”, he asked.
Justice Jafferi said he had made it clear right in the beginning of the inquiry that at least police should produce all the relevant material. However, he was being given surprises. There was no need for a tribunal if all the documents and pictures were not to be produced before it. The AAG said he believed it appropriate to produce the CD and the album when the photographers who shot them were being examined. The judge said he would have been in a better position to examine the witnesses if he had seen the pictures before their testimony. It would have helped him focus his questions on more material aspects. Photographer Imran would be re-examined on Monday.
Shah Sirajul Haq Qadri and Javaid Ahmed Chhatari stayed away, though there was no word on their boycott.
According to photographer Shoaib Ahmed of the daily Jang, Shah Siraj was not present at the stage with his sons as deposed by his guard, Akbar Ali Khan. “I did not see him offering prayers on the stage or near the stage after the blast”, the photographer said when the tribunal asked him to name the religious leaders shown in his pictures.
Referring to one of the pictures, Mr Ahmed said it showed Haji Hanif Tayyab, Haji Hanif Billoo or Blue, Kaukab Noorani and Khalilur Rehman Chishti leading the main Eid-Milad procession taken out from the Memon Masjid. But he did not see Haji Tayyab offering prayers on the stage or anywhere in the park.
He said he took pictures of the ground congregation, led by Shah Turabul Haq from the stage. Other leaders visible in the various stage pictures were Maulana Abbas Qadri, Maulana Akram Qadri, Maulana Iftikhar Bhatti, Haji Hanif Blue, Tariq Mahboob, Allama Riaz Qadri, Abrar Rahmani, Aslam Noorani, Hafiz Mohammad Taqi, Kaukab Noorani. There was no recognizable face in the ground congregation, the photographer said. He left the park at 8-05 pm. He saw some policemen and Rangers personnel being stoned by the enraged crowd? but no high police officer till 8-05 pm.
Qaiser Malik of Dhoom said he was doing his job on the stage when the blast occurred. Farz Rakaats had already been said. Sunnats were being offered. Since the light was becoming dim, he changed his camera battery. As he turned his face after putting in a new battery, he heard a bang. There was smoke at the centre of the stage but he could not say where exactly the explosion took place. He saw no flash anywhere.
“In my opinion, the blast might have taken place in between the three rows of the congregation at the stage”, he said reluctantly in reply to repeated questions. He was hit by a pellet in his right leg and taken to Civil Hospital by two policemen. He stayed at the hospital for 15 or 20 minutes, during which he also took pictures. He went to his office from where he was taken to the Liaquat Hospital and finally to AO Clinic.
Photographer Imran Ali said he also covered the procession taken out by Maulana Abbas Qadri. He entered the park about 6-30 pm along with Shah Turab’s procession. He took his last picture of the stage while Shah Turab was still addressing the meeting. He also snapped the ground congregation before joining media men. He was hit by a pellet in his right arm, rushed to the back of the gallery in apprehension of a second blast. He went up the stage after composing himself and took more pictures. He went to the Civil Hospital only for treatment. He said his statement was recorded by police and he also gave the investigators a CD.