Sarfraz Shah murder case: The Rangers killed the man in cold blood, says cameraman
‘No one came to his rescue as they were terrified of the Rangers’.
KARACHI:
All the Rangers men, who were booked in the case, killed Sarfraz Shah, deposed Abdul Salam Soomro, the cameraman of Awaz Television channel, before Judge Bashir Ahmed Khoso of the Anti-Terrorism Court I on Wednesday.
Prosecution witness Soomro, who recorded the two-minute, two-second long video of the killing, was examined by Special Public Prosecutor Muhammad Khan Buriro. Soomro told the court that the anchor of the programme Walk ‘n Talk informed him that a man in white clothes was dragging and punishing a young boy in a shirt and jeans. “He asked me to film the incident,” Soomro said. “I saw the Rangers at the gate of the park and they encircled the guy and pointed their guns at him. The boy was begging for his life but one of them fired and injured the boy. He was bleeding and no one was coming near due to fear of the Rangers. I too went [back to] record the programme.” Soomro did not inform the police at ‘15’ as he was terrified. “I could not interview other people about the incident as all of them left the park soon after.”
Soomro also testified that the video screened in court was the one he had recorded, that it was unedited and original.
To a question by a defence lawyer, he said that he was not acquainted with Salik Shah, Sarfraz’s brother, and did not know the police officers investigating the case. “I am deposing before the court as a responsible citizen and according to my conscience,” he replied to a suggestion by the defence, who said that he was siding with the complainant.
Soomro also informed the court he has been receiving threats since the incident. The court put off the proceedings till Thursday morning at 10:30 am.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2011.
All the Rangers men, who were booked in the case, killed Sarfraz Shah, deposed Abdul Salam Soomro, the cameraman of Awaz Television channel, before Judge Bashir Ahmed Khoso of the Anti-Terrorism Court I on Wednesday.
Prosecution witness Soomro, who recorded the two-minute, two-second long video of the killing, was examined by Special Public Prosecutor Muhammad Khan Buriro. Soomro told the court that the anchor of the programme Walk ‘n Talk informed him that a man in white clothes was dragging and punishing a young boy in a shirt and jeans. “He asked me to film the incident,” Soomro said. “I saw the Rangers at the gate of the park and they encircled the guy and pointed their guns at him. The boy was begging for his life but one of them fired and injured the boy. He was bleeding and no one was coming near due to fear of the Rangers. I too went [back to] record the programme.” Soomro did not inform the police at ‘15’ as he was terrified. “I could not interview other people about the incident as all of them left the park soon after.”
Soomro also testified that the video screened in court was the one he had recorded, that it was unedited and original.
To a question by a defence lawyer, he said that he was not acquainted with Salik Shah, Sarfraz’s brother, and did not know the police officers investigating the case. “I am deposing before the court as a responsible citizen and according to my conscience,” he replied to a suggestion by the defence, who said that he was siding with the complainant.
Soomro also informed the court he has been receiving threats since the incident. The court put off the proceedings till Thursday morning at 10:30 am.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2011.