Murtaza Bhutto

he has been conducting raids, but not the type of operation which took place
on Sept 20. He had been conducting snap searches for arms on the roads
working under me. The Clifton DSP, Mr Islam Khan, was on leave for four
days and, therefore, he was specifically holding the charge. ASP Shahid
Hayat of the Saddar sub-division had completed four years and was due for
promotion as SP. He had a vast experience and had worked in the Orangi
sub-division.
Durrani: I had selected the two ASPs for the job and SHO Sial who had 35
years of experience. ASI Fayyaz Bhatti of Ghizri police station was also in the
team. He was selected by ASP Tahir. Bhatti had risen from the ranks with 10-
15 years' experience.
Q: Why did you not inform the DIG Karachi Range of the timings of the
operation?
A: The decision was taken at 6:20 pm or 6:30 pm on Sept 20 and I contacted
him to tell him about it but he was not available.
Q: Why was that particular place selected for the picket?
A: The site of the picket was selected by Rao Tahir and when I inspected it, I
approved because there was no shopping centres, very little traffic, we were
more or less certain that Mir Murtaza's party will return through that route.
Q: You had earlier stated that you made an inquiry about the complaints of
reporters and cameramen of maltreatment by the police, and that the cameras
were broken, films taken away, your inquiry revealed there was no such
maltreatment or breaking of cameras and the photographers had left their
cameras on the road and went away. Can you tell us where were they
stopped?
A: I reached the scene at 9:25pm or 9:28 pm, and about 100-150 yards the
pressmen were stopped from going closer to the scene. I found three or four
bags, greenish in colour, containing photographic equipment and cameras. I
was not the person to stop them and on my query from the SP (inquiries and
investigations), Shukaib Qureshi, only one of them had not taken away his
bag which was returned on the next day to a Dawn man when he approached
the Clifton PS.
Murtaza Bhutto; Copyright © www.bhutto.org
184