Murtaza Bhutto

POLICE ASKED TO PRODUCE SHO'S BELONGINGS
KARACHI, Sept 25, 1996: The Sindh health department on Wednesday
expanded the medical board with the inclusion of forensic and medicines
experts to probe the genuineness of Clifton SHO Haq Nawaz Siyal's foot
wound. The number of the board members has now gone to six with the
addition of Shafi Quraishi and Tariq Mirza, professors of medicines and
forensic, respectively. Prof Shafi Quraishi is also the principal of the Dow
Medical College. The other members of the board are Karim Siddiqui,
professor of surgery, DMC; Mateen Ahmed Khan, professor of radiology,
DMC; Dr Nizamuddin Memon, police surgeon, and medical superintendent/
civil surgeon of Services Hospital. According to competent authorities, the
board, which held its first formal meeting at the Services Hospital on
Wednesday where the SHO appeared, has asked the DIG, Crime branch, to
provide it with certain personal belongings of the injured police official
before he is taken to an operation theatre for a check-up. In the meantime, the
record of the National Liaquat Hospital has been requisitioned by the board
to ascertain whether the SHO had gone there after getting treatment at the
JPMC.
The articles which have been required by the board include the police
official's shoes he was wearing at the time when he allegedly received the
bullet on his foot, the pair of socks he was wearing and the handkerchief the
police official claimed he had used to stop bleeding. According to the medicolegal
report of the JPMC MLO, dated 21-9-96 and numbering 04820, Haq
Nawaz Siyal who had a "gutterr type of wound, skin deep measuring
approximately 6cmx01cm....," was conscious when he himself came to the
hospital. According to the history of the patient, the report said: "Gun shot
wound as alleged on 20-9-90". The report added that on examination
"blackening was present, mild tenderness and swelling was positive. No
movement restriction". Asked why a medical board was constituted for the
SHO Clifton, the sources said that the health department received a letter
addressed to the Health Secretary who was requested by the wife of the late
Mir Murtaza Bhutto to set up a board to ascertain the genuineness of the
wound, which she alleged was self-inflicted and necessitated a thorough
examination of the wound with graphic details. The sources said a medical
board would also be set up for the injured ASP Khan Hayat Khan if someone
from Mir Murtaza's family or any one else related to the victims made a
Murtaza Bhutto; Copyright © www.bhutto.org
75