Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed - PDMA

CHAPTER-2
THE INQUIRY PROCEEDINGS
7. With a view, therefore, to relate the pleadings, the Commission resolved at
the outset to seek a comprehensive overview of the organizational networks
established at Federal, Provincial and Local levels to plan, coordinate and
execute assigned functions for effective responses, at various stages of disaster
management, including the 2010 Flood, followed by examination of the nature
and causes of grievances of the petitioners and media, and other relevant
material placed on record, initially in the context of formulations no 1, 2 and 12
cited supra, followed by comprehensive responses on other issues. The lists of
witnesses examined at Islamabad and during field visits, and those who filed
affidavits is given at Annex-II-A, B & C . These included petitioners/ public
witnesses, in-service and retired officers/ respondents and a large number of
affectees.
8. Amongst the public, those who deposed before the Commission, or
appeared to support other affectees included a lady MNA resident of Thatta, and
the Deputy Chairman, Senate of Pakistan, a Federal Minister both from
Jaffarabad, leading media anchors/representatives who covered the floods by
spot visits, members of concerned civil society and individuals who sought to
appear before the Commission. Hon’ble Mir Zafar Ullah Khan Jamali, former
Primer Minister of Pakistan had also evinced his interest to depose before the
Commission. However, despite two opportunities, allowed on his own requests,
he was unable to attend and substantiate serious allegations made by him before
the media and later in his written communication of 8 th April, 2011 [Appendix-G].
Federal Minister Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, former Federal Minister Mir Aijaz
Hussain Jakhrani, MNA, Sirdar Mohammed Saif-ud-Din Khan Khosa, MNA, Jam
Saifullah Dharejo, Provincial Minister Irrigation, Sindh and Malik Ahmed Yar
Hunjara, MPA (Punjab) deposed before the Commission on 18 th April, 2011.
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