Benazir murder case: Ex-Rawalpindi police officers released on bail

Saud Aziz, Khurram Shahzad submit Rs1m surety each.

RAWALPINDI:

Former Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Saud Aziz and Superintendent Police (SP) Khurram Shahzad were on Thursday released on bail in the Benazir Bhutto murder case.

The two officers were charged with negligence of duty in providing security cover to the slain ex-premier.

Both the former police officers appeared before Special Judge Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rana Nasir Ahmed and submitted surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.

On April 5, a division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) comprising Chief Justice Ejaz Chaudhry and Justice Ijazul Ahsan had granted bail to both the accused and directed them to submit the surety bonds. However, the bench directed the authorities concerned to confiscate their passports.

Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar had opposed the bail petition, saying the higher authorities had assigned Benazir Bhutto’s security at Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007 to Saud Aziz but he neglected his duty and left the venue unprotected.

Earlier on March 16, they had submitted application before the Lahore High Court for transferring their case from Rawalpindi Bench.

They were of the view that authorities in the federal capital were influencing proceedings before the Rawalpindi bench. They requested the court to transfer their bail plea to the principal seat of the LHC.

On November 15, 2010 Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Joint Investigation Team (JIT) charge-sheeted both the police officials for hosing down the crime scene and providing inadequate security to the former prime minister.

The charge-sheet was formally submitted by Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali and Investigation Officer (IO) and Deputy Director of FIA Khalid Rasool in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). On December 23 last year police arrested them after their bail was rejected by the trial court.

On December 27, 2007 when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated after addressing a public rally in Liaquat Bagh, Saud Aziz was the CPO and Khurram Shahzad was SP Rawalpindi.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th,  2011.