It was in UEA during the exile period when I saw Asif Ali Zardari convincing and insisting Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto not to go back Pakistan as the host country Dubai has also warned her of a terrorist attack on her return. Bibi Shaheed was determined to go back to Pakistan come what may and categorically stated that she has given a commitment to the people of Pakistan that she would be among them on 18th October 2007. I, on the front seat and Asif Ali Zardari on the back seat sitting with Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, kept on convincing her but he could not convince her to not leave for Pakistan. The discussion continued to the arrival and departure lounge of the airport where once again a message was given to her by the host country not to fly for her own country but she did not agree to anyone.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto also discussed that either Rehman Malik to go with her or to stay back in Dubai, as in case of her arrest he would formulate further strategy and finally she decided that I should travel with her. As per her directions, I got my boarding card and we proceeded from Majlis to Plane. After the announcement of departure yet another announcement was made informing that three passengers go back to the lounge. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto discussed with me and asked about the IATA rules that can the government of UAE stop her to go Pakistan but I quoted the rules and informed her that once one is boarded in the plane and there is no fault in the documents, they cannot stop any passenger from traveling adding, however, that if once you go back to the lounge then they would have the right to stop you. In the meantime, I spoke to Mr. Tariq Aziz, Principal Secretary to General Pervez Musharraf whom I had told about the arrival of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and asked him that the government should not be hindered her as multiple steps are being taken to stop her. He called me back after 10 minutes and informed me that they have already spoken to UAE government and you will be permitted soon to travel. Accordingly, we flew and how she was welcomed at Karachi by people of Pakistan is a historical fact. She was thrilled and delighted to see a huge crowed of highly motivated workers welcoming her but her happiness didn’t last for long as her caravan was attacked with twin gigantic bomb blasts near Karsaz killing her 149 devotees and injuring more than 400jiyalas. The attack was actually a life attempt on Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto but she survived. We all were standing behind her on the truck including Raja Pervez Ashraf, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Raza Rabbani, Naheed Khan, Shah Mehmood Querishi, Aitzaz Ahsan, Qaim Ali Shah and others and all of them were safe.
The police even refused to
register the case after Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto attempted to file a
complaint of the Karsaz Incident. The evidence was hosed away within one hour
without securing the vital evidence and the case never advanced as the evidence
was already destroyed through hosing off the crime scene. Surprisingly, the
suspected mastermind of October 18 assassination attempt namely Qari Saifullah
Akhtar, along with his two sons and other suspects, were arrested but released
after few days claiming lack of evidence against them. He along with his sons
subsequently fled to Afghanistan, where he had been running a training camp for
Al-Qaeda.
Under the PPP Government, the
dormant investigation of the case was activated, but DSP Nawaz Ranjha of
Karachi police who was entrusted to investigate the case was mysteriously
killed when he was close to arrest the attackers. I had discussed the mysterious murder of DSP
Ranjha with the then Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and also with Murad Ali
Shah but nothing was achieved.
The second trip of Shaheed
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was on 26th November, 2007 from Dubai via Air Blue and
as previously agreed I went to pick her in the morning as her flight was at 8
o’clock in the morning. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had to go to Peshawar
for her Jalsa next day. It was a memorable moment and she told me that she
would like to have breakfast after one hour sleep. It was economy class seat
and I was sitting next to her. She slept while taking brief notes and got up
after one hour and had a light breakfast. For the first time, she uttered “Rehman;
will they not spare us”. Next day, we proceeded to Peshawar where she had to
attend a Jalsa which was to be detonated but fortunately the detonators did not
work and the terrorist attack foiled. Those who were responsible for her
security and the then government did not provide adequate security despite of
numerous letters to the then government.
It was the same trick, in which she was attacked with missiles near
Kamra but missed. This fact was disclosed by one of the accused who informed
that serious attempt was made and the missiles were got from Kamra.
On the conclusion of Jalsa and
the meeting in Peshawar, we left Peshawar. The Security Chief was sitting on
the front seat and in the middle was Naheed Khan. She always liked to eat
chappal kabab in Peshawar and she had expressed her desire to have some Chappal
Kababs. I had already arranged some Kababs and Naan for her. She made rolls of
Naan and Kabab one for her, one for me and one for Naheed Khan. She had her own
diet coke with her and thereafter she said that she ate too much in Peshawar
and she stopped the car and handed over the food to some workers and security
guards.
In our way to Islamabad, I got a
call of General Nusrat Nadeem expressing his desire that then D.G. ISI has
requested to meet Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto tonight urgently. I told him
that she is with me and she consented for the meeting. By the time we entered in Islamabad, there
were few meetings already arranged in Bilawal House and after those meetings,
Naheed Khan and Safdar Abbasi left for their home and I accompanied Shaheed
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to meet D.G. ISI. Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
requested for a foolproof security and very categorically stated to D.G. ISI
to tell General Pervez Musharraf to do the rigging in election to the level you
can but you have to lose. After meeting, General Nusrat asked me to not to go
for jalsa in Rawalpindi as there were some reports of likely attack on Shaheed
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
had earlier done similar drill to go to Liaqat Bagh Rawalpindi a week before.
It may be reminded that she had been travelling countrywide and her security
was being looked after by security officer Maj (Retd) Imtiaz. We were standing
near her car in Bilawal House when I asked Ms. Naheed Khan if all arrangements
had been done and have made all the security measures as per the decision.
Naheed Khan very rudely responded me that not to interfere in our affairs as we
know our job well. The entire episode of conversation was heard by Dr. Babar
Awan and I came to know later that he had informed Mr. Asif Ali Zardari about
my row with Naheed Khan.
The 27th December, 2007 shall
always be remembered as black day in the history of Pakistan but sadly justice
is never delivered to the PPP workers and Bhutto family as despite of the fact
that the murderers are detected, the conspiracy is unearthed by the
investigation, Taliban leadership in their book have also confessed the
assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto but it is infortune that those
who were involved were released/acquitted and justice is still waiting to be
done.
Historically speaking, Bhutto family remained deprived of justice
against state repression. The JIT appointed by the then Punjab Government
failed to conclude the case and the Pakistan Peoples Party government decided
to do thorough investigation and accordingly a JIT was constituted consisting
of three senior officers namely Mr. Tariq Khosa, Mr. Tajik, DIG and Mr. Azad a
known Police officer with the mandate to interrogate and include anybody for
investigations. The JIT investigated the matter with utmost sincerity and
professionalism. They identified the conspirators, handlers, accused, executors
and their trail of financial and including of abettors.
The confessions of the following
accused persons i.e. Aitezaz Shah, Sher Zaman, Hasnain Gul, Muhammd Rafaqat and
Rashid Ahmed Turabi were substantiated with independent forensic evidence to
prove their criminal act in the court of law including the DNA of the joggers
used by the terrorist/ suicide bomber, recovered from the house of one of the
accused persons.
It may be mentioned here that the
PPP leadership was of the firm view that the assassination of Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto had international dimensions with a wider conspiracy plan. The PPP Government, therefore, requested the
UN Secretary General to constitute an Inquiry Commission to investigate the
case in order to un-earth the conspiracy.
The Inquiry Commission submitted its Report in May 2010 wherein it
primarily held the then Federal Government responsible for not providing
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed adequate and proper security. It also discredited the findings of the
committee appointed by the then Punjab Government with regard to washing of the
crime scene. On the basis of the
findings of the Inquiry Commission, the Federal Government decided to transfer
the case to FIA for further investigation and constituted a high-powered JIT as
mentioned above.
The investigation carried out by
the JIT had led to the facts that the conspiracy was hatched at Room No. 96 of
Madrassa Haqqania, Akora Khattak by the former student of the said
Madrassa. One Ibad-ur-Rehman, a former
student of Madrassa Haqqania had brought suicide bomber to the Madrassa from
then TTP chief Baitullah Mahsud and stayed in Room No. 96 overnight. The JIT
collected the original admission record with photographs, addresses &
parentage from Madrassa of those students who conspired and then executed the
conspiracy. Accused Nasrullah who had brought suicide bombers in Rawalpindi on
26th December, 2007 and Ibad-ur-Rehman, the planner and ex-students of the
Madrassa were later on found to have been killed in separate operations by the
LEAs. These accused and their associates were based in Madrassa and residing in
hostel in 2007. Their meeting and operation point remained Room no. 96.Accused
Hasnain Gul and Rafaqat Hussain, close relatives, have turned militant after
Lal Masjid Operation called “Operation Silence” where one of the close friends
of Hasnain Gul namely Qari Fayaz was killed.
They also turned against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed for her support
to the Operation and aligned themselves with Al-Qaeda and TTP.They described
their motives as Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was a threat to Taliban in Pakistan if
had come into power. It transpired that Azizullah (Maulvi Sahib) to whom
Baitullah Mehsood called (intercepted call) was also the student of this
madrassa.
The JIT traced five absconders
namely Baitullah Mehsud, Ibad-ur-Rehman @Usman @ Chattan who were killed in a
drone attack while investigators were chasing them in Khyber Agency. Abdullah @ Saddam was killed in an explosion
in Mohmand Agency along with Faiz Muhammad @ Kiskat.Nasarullahwas Killed in
Mohmand Agency and Nadir @ Qari Ismail was Killed in Mohmand Agency. I have
written two letters to the Ministry of Interior for the extradition of Ikramullah – 2nd suicide bomber, who is
hiding in Afghanistan.
Interestingly, the Taliban during
their meetings with Afghan Government in Qatar and in Murree through the
courtesy of Government of Pakistan, had demanded the release and deportation of
accused Hasnain Gul and Rafaqat Hussain as one of their demands. It, therefore, clearly demonstrates their
close association with the Taliban/Al-Qaeda.
Unfortunately, the trial was
delayed for 10 years. Chaudhary Zulfiqar a known honest and professional
prosecutor was almost near to the conclusion of the case when he was murdered
cold blooded. Only he was pursuing the case but his family could not get
justice even today though his gunman was able to kill him and injured another
one. The accused was later on arrested
from Bara Kahu, Islamabad who happened to have linked with Taliban. He was also
released despite caught red handed.
The Taliban leader Abu Mansoor
Asim Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud in his book ‘Inqilab Meshud South Waziristan: ‘From
British Raj to American Imperialism’ have corroborated the investigation
carried out by a joint investigation team (JIT) of the Federal Investigation
Agency (FIA) that the TTP former chief Baitullah Mahsud ordered Mohtarma
Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
I had written number of letters
to the government to have the second bomber Ikramullah extradited from
Afghanistan and about the release of five accused who confessed the murder but
nobody has paid attention to my letters. It was unfortunate to note that
despite overwhelming evidence against the arrested accused persons, the
Terrorist Court acquitted all of them and ordered to be released from the jail
custody. The hope of justice by the
Bhutto family was killed when the said accused was set free leaving many doubts
in the minds of the public as to why the accused with confession were acquitted
and released. The police officers who
were also accused in the case were convicted but their convictions were also
set aside and were awarded prominent postings.
This was not only high profile
case which was resolved through investigations and number of facts against the
accused but went in vain. In fact,
despite of proper investigations and undeniable charges against the
accused, the justice to the Bhutto family and PPP workers was denied on flimsy
grounds.
The matter is still pending in
the High Court and I appeal to the chief justice of Pakistan to order
proceedings in the Benazir Bhutto murder case on a daily basis so that elements
behind the assassination of the former prime minister could be brought to
justice without any further delay.
The Article was published on December 27, 2019 in Daily Times and the link to the article is https://dailytimes.com.pk/527155/benazir-family-waiting-for-justice/
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