Murtaza Bhutto

At this stage, witness Mohammad Ali Shah again went to JPMC where he
saw Dr Hameed Shaikh and inquired about the latest injured taken to the
hospital and he came back to Mideast Hospital at about 1 am. He said the DC
was there at the hospital discussing with him about the arrival of the chief
minister, the prime minister and the arrangements for making available a
helicopter to fly the dead out of Karachi.
Tribunal: Are the SDMs not provided with wireless sets to enable them to
remain in contact with the administration?
A: There are wireless sets on the jeeps of the SDMs and the body guards
monitor all the messages. The DC asked all of us to go home but remain in
touch with the control and at 8 am I was asked to be present at Clifton
helipad.
Tribunal: What was the arrangement at the helipad?
A: Mir Murtaza's family came first to the helipad at about midday and the
body reached there later in an ambulance. The copter was surrounded by
people and they clinched to the two aircraft.
Tribunal: Who were present at the helipad?
A: Except for the DC and SSP, I saw none at the helipad and they were the
highest-ranking officials from the government.
Tribunal: What was the situation like at the helipad?
A: The atmosphere there at the time was one of agitation and protests from
people who were demanding the arrest of killers and the crowd had been
raising anti-police slogans.
Tribunal: What was the impact on your mind when you first came to know
about the incident?
A: When I came to know of the incident, I first thought it was an encounter
between the police and dacoits. But by the time the second or third injured
came to the hospital, I realised that it was an encounter between the police
and Mir Murtaza's men.
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