Kharotabad incident: ‘My eyesight is too weak to identify colleagues’

Police officer claims he does not recognise faces or voices of the accused.


Shezad Baloch June 10, 2011

QUETTA:


A senior police officer, present at the time of the Kharotabad shooting incident, failed to identify police officials involved in the firing by claiming that he has weak eyesight.


Additionally, the officer, SP (Investigation) Amanullah Kakar, said that he was unable to identify the voices of the men involved.

The judicial tribunal on Thursday, comprising Justice Hashim Kakar, recorded statements of three more witnesses regarding the incident in which five foreigners, including three women one of whom was pregnant, were gunned down by police and Frontier Corps (FC).

Police officials present on the spot could not identify their colleagues who were continuously firing at the foreigners. They were also unable to recognise the man directing to open fire when the women were lying injured near a FC picket.

Director General Public Relation (DGPR) Balochistan produced six CDs before the tribunal prepared by different news channel on the incident. It was shown in the footage that two women were still breathing when the Quetta Police Chief Dawood Junejo and FC Colonel Faisal Shehzad were talking. When one of the policemen opened fire, a man shouted that they (the women) are raising their hands as a signal for surrender. However, another official directed to kill all the foreigners.

After watching the television footage, Justice Hashim Kakar immediately summoned SP (Investigation) to appear before the court as he was seen taking part in the operation. The judge asked a senior police official to call him and directed all those people present in the court not to leave the courtroom.

SP Amanullah said since his eyesight and listening power is weak, he can not identify the voices and the policeman shooting from a close range. “Most of the police and FC personnel who were present at the spot had opened fire, thus, it is difficult for me to identify the voices,” he told the tribunal.

In cross questioning, Justice Kakar expressed anger over his answers and said “you should not lie in order to protect your job. I saw this video and you were present there and the voices are coming from near you.”

The tribunal also asked that if a CCPO passes order not to open fire, how can police officers do so?

The SHO of Kharotabad police station said he does not know about the official who had directed the personnel to open fire and he too is unable to recognise the voice asking them to stop.

Earlier, FIA Director Shakeel Durrani stated that the FIA has no record regarding the entry of five foreigners from the Afghan border. “There is only one immigration checkpoint in Chaman where FIA personnel enter the data of those who enter and exit from Pakistan and Afghanistan and want to proceed to Iran or any other country,” he told the tribunal.

He further said that about 8,000 to 10,000 people enter and exit from Pakistan daily without having travel documents and the five killed may have entered along with them. There is also an FC check post to ensure security along the border, it was learnt during cross questioning.

An officer from the Crisis Management Civil Defence, Haji Mohamad Gul, told the tribunal that he had examined the 56 detonators sent by the police. “The detonators had no blasting components,” he added.

The hearing was adjourned till Monday. Twenty-six witnesses recorded their statements before the tribunal. The only witness left, a police surgeon, will record his statement on Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2011.

COMMENTS (22)

Zafar | 12 years ago | Reply We can well imagine, what investigations might SP (Investigation) Amanullah Kakar, might have been doing? Hats off to those who appointed him on this sentive job with these disabilities! The honourable court must get his claims verified through a medical board and if found correct, recommend his weeding out of service. If not, then this (gentle)man deserves an examplary punishment.
haq | 12 years ago | Reply If he claims to have poor vision and hearing,the honourable court should order his medical examination,and if found lying,should be given exemplory punishment.
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ