Murtaza Bhutto

BENAZIR BHUTTO DEPOSES BEFORE TRIBUNAL
ON TUESDAY
KARACHI, March 4, 1997: Ms Benazir the former prime minister of Pakistan
today told the 3-member enquiry tribunal that Syed Abdullah Shah, the
former chief minister Sindh had offered to resign on account of the September
20th incident resulting in the murder of late Mir Murtaza and his six close
companions and bullet injuries to his party activists. During her crossexamination
by Akhtar G. Kazi, the lawyer engaged by the Sindh
government, at the resumed proceedings of the enquiry, she replied in the
affirmative if she considered the chief minister's house at Karachi as the safe
place for the protection of Asghar Ali, the domestic servant of late Mir
Murtaza.
Questioned further, she said, she knew that Asghar Ali was at that time
under arrest in connection with some case against him. She denied, that
Asghar Ali, the eye-witness of the incident was taken to the chief minister's
house to get his signatures on plain paper to provide cover to the police
officials involved in the September 20 last incident.
Asked if the meeting held at the CM house on September 19 last was attended
among others by Asif Ali Zardari, she said that he (Zardari) had left for
Islamabad on September 27 last.
Q: Did Asif Ali Zardari mention to you about his having travelled in the same
plane with late Mir Murtaza from Islamabad to Karachi, she said, that Asif
had told her that in the plane late Mir Murtaza had greeted and shook hand
with him in the plane.
Q: When did you realise that the September 20th incident was not an
encounter?
Ans. I had directed for institution of a high-powered team of investigation
after discussing the incident with her colleagues. She had also directed that
senior and experienced police officials from other provinces may be included
in that team.
Murtaza Bhutto; Copyright © www.bhutto.org
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