Ghazi murder case: Police chief forms new team to quiz Musharraf
At least four on the new team were suggested by the complainant.
Former military dictator Pervez Musharraf. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Giving in to the complainant’s demands, the city police chief disbanded the team investigating the involvement of former president Pervez Musharraf in the murder of Lal Masjid cleric Abdur Rashid Ghazi and formed a new one in its place.
On the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, a new team has been formed – at least four of whom were suggested by the complainant.
Haroonur Rashid Ghazi, the complainant in the case and the son of deceased Lal Masjid cleric, had objected to the existing investigation team.
“The first team formed by the IGP, included police officials who were retired army officers and could be sympathetic to Musharraf,” said Ehtisham Ahmed, spokesperson for Ghazi and Shohuda Foundation Lal Masjid (SFLM).
Ghazi through his counsel Advocate Tariq Asad expressed his concerns by writing a letter to the city police chief a week ago. Later, the lawyer met the IGP and asked him to change the team as it was not acceptable to his client.
DIG Headquarters Khalid Khattak was appointed new chief of the investigation team. Since 2003, Khattak has rarely been given any operational task. An inquiry into the murder of slain Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) leader Azam Tariq, who was gunned down near Islamabad toll plaza in 2003, declared Khattak as an officer incompetent for operational jobs.
“It was the complainant’s demand to include Khattak in the investigation team and since he was the senior most he had to be head of the team,” said a police officer, claiming knowledge of the process of formation of the new team.
“The complainant requested the IGP not to include army or intelligence agencies’ officers in the investigation team,” said the police officer. However, the IGP could not remove SP Capt (Retd) Feroz from the investigations as the crime scene was in his area of supervision.
No headway could be made in the murder case of Abdur Rashid Ghazi that was registered on the orders of Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier last month.
The complainant accused Musharraf of murdering his father as he had ordered the military operation in 2007 in which Ghazi was killed along with many others.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2013.
Giving in to the complainant’s demands, the city police chief disbanded the team investigating the involvement of former president Pervez Musharraf in the murder of Lal Masjid cleric Abdur Rashid Ghazi and formed a new one in its place.
On the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad, a new team has been formed – at least four of whom were suggested by the complainant.
Haroonur Rashid Ghazi, the complainant in the case and the son of deceased Lal Masjid cleric, had objected to the existing investigation team.
“The first team formed by the IGP, included police officials who were retired army officers and could be sympathetic to Musharraf,” said Ehtisham Ahmed, spokesperson for Ghazi and Shohuda Foundation Lal Masjid (SFLM).
Ghazi through his counsel Advocate Tariq Asad expressed his concerns by writing a letter to the city police chief a week ago. Later, the lawyer met the IGP and asked him to change the team as it was not acceptable to his client.
DIG Headquarters Khalid Khattak was appointed new chief of the investigation team. Since 2003, Khattak has rarely been given any operational task. An inquiry into the murder of slain Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) leader Azam Tariq, who was gunned down near Islamabad toll plaza in 2003, declared Khattak as an officer incompetent for operational jobs.
“It was the complainant’s demand to include Khattak in the investigation team and since he was the senior most he had to be head of the team,” said a police officer, claiming knowledge of the process of formation of the new team.
“The complainant requested the IGP not to include army or intelligence agencies’ officers in the investigation team,” said the police officer. However, the IGP could not remove SP Capt (Retd) Feroz from the investigations as the crime scene was in his area of supervision.
No headway could be made in the murder case of Abdur Rashid Ghazi that was registered on the orders of Islamabad High Court (IHC) earlier last month.
The complainant accused Musharraf of murdering his father as he had ordered the military operation in 2007 in which Ghazi was killed along with many others.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2013.