Murtaza Bhutto

A: The original report was more than what was asked from us, but it was not
an incorrect one. At this stage, the tribunal called for a copy of Dawn of Oct 1
which carried a full report on the findings of the medical board, although the
members had reserved their order. The contents were read out by the
chairman and he asked the witness if he had read the account, to which he
said "no.'
Q: The doctors on all the three medical boards were asked to examine people.
If in two other reports the findings were not changed because in these two
also they were merely asked to "examine" the injured or the dead. If it was
not wrong in those cases, how it became controversial in the third which was
tried to be amended.
A: The health secretary had asked us as to why information not asked for has
been included; I said it was a unanimous report.
Q: What have you been telling the health secretary for seven days about the
report, telling him each time that it has not yet been typed. Did you also tell
him that you were trying to amend the report and what was his reaction?
A: He kept reminding us about the urgency.
Q: Your report not only opines that the injury was of firearm, it was from a
close range, did you at any time thereafter consider that the report was not in
compliance with the order?
A: Both the reports were identical, but the only thing was we had gone
beyond the task assigned to us by the government. The tribunal made serious
reservations to the continued absence of Nehal Hashmi, counsel for 11
policemen, including an ASI, a head constable and nine constables.
The chairman of the tribunal observed that he was worried about the
policemen who are being neglected by their counsel, who doesn't appear to
defend them and he was making a mockery of human rights. The counsel was
asked "not to talk of human rights before us." Once a while you drop in for a
moment and then disappear for several days, saying you are busy elsewhere.
Other witnesses who were examined by the tribunal were Dr Mohammad
Umar Baloch, who has just retired as civil surgeon; Dr Tariq Mirza and Dr M.
Murtaza Bhutto; Copyright © www.bhutto.org
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