FIA official picks out ‘flaws’ in police probe in Benazir’s assassination case

Musharraf’s lawyer to cross-examine JIT member on the 14th.

RAWALPINDI: An officer of the country’s top investigation agency has pointed out ‘flaws’ in the Rawalpindi police’s probe into former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

Investigation officer (IO) Shoaib Ahmed of the Federal Investigation Agency made the claim on Monday during cross-examination by a defence lawyer at an anti-terrorism court (ATC).



In response to a query regarding the accused Rafaqat Hussain and Hasnain Gul by their lawyer Malik Jawad Khalid, IO Ahmed said the two men were arrested on January 5, 2008. They were produced before the court on February 7, 2008.

The court also recorded the statement of Azad Khan, a member of the joint investigation team (JIT) that probed the case.

Khan said he had recovered mobile SIM (subscriber identity module) cards used by the accused Rafaqat Hussain and Hasnain Gul.

Replying to a question, he said the SIM cards were not registered in the name of the accused. He then admitted that he had not investigated the actual owners.

The JIT member added that he had recorded the statement of American journalist and lobbyist Mark Siegel against former president Pervez Musharraf in the United States.

Barrister Farogh Naseem, who is representing Musharraf in the trial, would cross-examine Khan at the next date of hearing, which ATC-I Special Judge Rai Muhammad Ayub Marth fixed for March 14.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2016.