Murtaza Bhutto

DURRANI HELD IN MURTAZA CASE
By Mohammed Riaz
KARACHI, Nov 10, 1996: The police arrested Wajid Ali Durrani, former SSP-
South, on late Saturday night following an FIR registered earlier against him
and nine other officials allegedly involved in the Sept 20 shooting outside 70-
Clifton, in which Mir Murtaza Bhutto and seven others were killed. ASPs
Shahid Hayat Khan of Saddar and Roy Tahir of Darakhshan areas had sought
an interim bail before arrest on Saturday from the Sindh High Court till
Monday. Both have been nominated in the FIR (443/96) lodged by Noor
Mohammad, public relations secretary to the late Mir Murtaza. SHO Zeeshan
Kazmi (Khokhrapar), former SHOs of Napier and Garden, Agha Jamil and
Shabbir Qaimkhani, respectively, are said to have gone into hiding after the
registration of the FIR against the 10 police officials, including IB chief
Masood Sharif. The police have been conducting raids on their residences.
Sources said Mr Kazmi was last seen at the Khokhrapar police station on
Sunday. However, a duty officer at the police station said he (Kazmi) was on
patrol duty in the area. Mr Kazmi had not been arrested and the news of his
arrest was a mere lie. "Allah Na Karey Woh Giraftar Hon," he added. A duty
officer at the Napier police station drew a blank about the arrest of Jamil and
said: "Agha Sahib was transferred on Sept 22, we don't know his
whereabouts."
Mr Qaimkhani was transferred from Garden police station two months ago, a
duty officer said. Masood Sharif has been already detained in Islamabad for
interrogation. After his arrest on Nov 5, all the offices of the IB throughout
the country were officially sealed. The Sindh government had transferred
SPP-CIA Ramzan Channa and posted Haq Nawaz Mithani from Rato Dero in
his place. The DIG of Karachi Shoaib Suddle, was posted in Karachi in June
1995, to control the law and order situation in the city. There was no
information of his arrest till late Sunday night. He had opposed the arrest of
the 11 policemen on Oct 24 and said "it would demoralise the police force
which had survived terrorism in the city." Mr Durrani was supervising the
police party when Mir Murtaza and his colleagues were killed.
He was placed under suspension after he was accused by the PPP (SB) of the
killing. He was taken into custody by the rangers a few days ago. After his
formal arrest on Saturday, he was brought at the Clifton police station, but
Murtaza Bhutto; Copyright © www.bhutto.org
170