Murtaza Bhutto

HS: Neither myself nor the home department has submitted any report to any
provincial or federal authority. I have Special Branch reports and if called
upon I can produce them for perusal of the tribunal after the lunch break.
(The tribunal directed that this be done so.)
Khwaja Sharful Islam, counsel for suspended SSP (South) Wajid Ali Durrani,
then cross-examined the home secretary.
Q: After the incident when the home department was not associated with the
investigation and not kept informed of the investigation, did you find out the
reason for such decision, and did you discuss the matter with the CM or any
other superior officer as to why the home department is being kept away
from the enquiry, or did any authority of the provincial or federal
government say that this matter will not be touched by the home
department?
HS: I had informed the CM Sindh about the incident and also apprised him
about the fact that the home department was not being kept informed about
the progress in the investigation to which he replied that once the enquiry is
completed, the home department will receive a copy of the report. I did not
discuss this matter with any other authority either of the provincial
government or the Sindh government.
Justice Zahid then resumed the cross-examination of the home secretary.
Q: Were you aware or are you aware of the authority who directed action
should be taken on 20/9/96? Who directed that the picket should be set up,
that the guards of Mir Murtaza Bhutto should be arrested? (At this point
Justice Zahid interjected that such decision did not involve the poor ordinary
citizens of the country and reminded the home secretary that he was under
oath.)
HS: I have already stated that I am not aware as who ordered the operation.
Even till today I am not aware.
After the lunch break, the home secretary told the tribunal that he be excused
from further cross-examination on the day since his son was to undergo an
operation. The tribunal allowed the request and asked him to appear again on
Tuesday at 12 noon.
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