Murtaza Bhutto

According to information provided to him by inspector Abbas of IB, Ashiq
Jatoi had demanded the release of Ali Sonara and that he was apprehending
that he would be killed in a fake police encounter. The SSP said he informed
the DIG on phone about this.
The witness said: "On Sept 18, at 7:40am, the city was rocked by bomb blasts
near the Karachi Gymkhana and near the Sindh Secretariat. I informed the
DIG on phone and on wireless and I was asked to reach the place
immediately and that the DIG and IGP would also be there. I reached the site
at 8:10 am. After about five minutes, we inspected the site, but luckily there
were no casualties but the buildings facing the Gymkhana were slightly
damaged".
"One heartening point was that some girl students, about 15- 20, escaped
unhurt as these students from the President House School had passed by that
place only a few minutes earlier. While we were still there, we heard another
blast that occurred near the Sindh Secretariat. The DC and I went there at 9:45
am. In that incident, one man got severe head injuries and died. He was
identified as Mushtaq, a vendor. "Another victim, Safdar, is still in Civil
Hospital and one of his legs was amputated. Two shops were damaged,
including the windows of the Secretariat."
The SSP, continuing, said: "What added to our miseries were hoax calls that
bombs have been planted at Clifton phone exchange. There were no further
blasts and I gave instructions that all government buildings and other key
places, which were not secure, should be protected".
According to the Bomb Disposal Squad, the bombs were indigenous, and
squad chief Moeen had said they had a timer mechanism. Later, in the
evening on Sept 18, I got instructions from the IB regarding two cases relating
to the previous incidents at two CIA centres. There were also instructions
from the DIG signed by Ashfaq, a DSP, on behalf of the DIG regarding the
registration of FIRs, and the directions were that special teams should
investigate.
The DIG's directions were to the effect that special teams, headed by SP
(investigations and enquiries) Shakaib Qureshi, should investigate the
incidents, the witness said and added that such instructions were given in
serious matters only.
Murtaza Bhutto; Copyright © www.bhutto.org
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