 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
 |
 |
|
| PPP asking many questions about Rehman Malik |
|
|
|
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
By Rauf Klasra
NAUDERO: The absence of Rehman Malik, chief security officer (CSO) of Benazir Bhutto, from the scene of the deadly attack in Rawalpindi raised a lot of questions in the ranks of the PPP, but Farhatullah Babar who was with him at that moment, strongly defended him.
It was on record that the CSO of the late leader had no clue when did Benazir, whom he was supposed to protect even at the cost of his life, came under attack and where she was taken when she was hit.
Sources said Rehman remained confined to the Bilawal House in Islamabad to the surprise and shock of the party leaders. Some party leaders in Naudero, who were present at the site of the attack and in the hospital, said they did not have any idea where Rehman was after Ms Bhutto was killed on the spot by a trained killer.
Rehman had even told the Geo News that Ms Bhutto escaped unhurt in the attack, which greatly relieved the whole of Pakistan. Even Interior Ministry Spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Cheema told media men that after the reports of the attack on Ms Bhutto, he had contacted Rehman Malik who informed him that she escaped unhurt and he issued the same statement on the basis of the assurance given to him by the chief security adviser to Ms Bhutto.
But shortly after the live beeper of Rehman on the Geo, the horrible reports started emerging from all corners that Ms Bhutto was in a critical condition at the Rawalpindi General Hospital and she might not survive.
This dramatic situation, which developed after the statement of Rehman Malik that Ms Bhutto was in good health, created a big confusion not only in the minds of the party workers but all those who were listening to his comments on the Geo TV, live.
Sources said later they learned that Rehman had gone to the Bilawal House where he remained and reached the hospital after Asif Ali Zardari was said to have reached there from Dubai. The party workers were wondering how could the chief security officer be missing from the scene of the attack, when he was exclusively supposed to be with Ms Bhutto all the time in his special capacity.
Rehman Malik was also travelling in a different vehicle as Ms Bhutto was in her bullet- and bomb-proof car with Naheed Khan and Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who later took a dying Ms Bhutto to the hospital.
One of the explanations given to this correspondent about the travelling of Rehman in a separate car was that he was instructed by Ms Bhutto herself to use a separate car as like her, he too was on the hit list of terrorists. She did not want him to die with her in case of an attack on her car.
However, talking to The News, the PPP spokesman unfolded a different story, which on the one side defended Rehman Malik, but on the other side also left some key questions unanswered.
Babar said he was also in the car in which Rehman was travelling after Ms Bhutto ended her speech in Rawalpindi and they all headed towards the Bilawal House. He said they had no idea whether Benazir was hurt in the attack, so they all went to the Bilawal House.
But, Babar defending Rehman Malik, said when the jubilant crowd stopped the car of Benazir Bhutto, Rehman was quite upset as he said this was not the right approach and Ms Bhutto should simply go home as there could be some trouble.
Likewise, he said, we both were talking on the telephones and at one point we both realised that if our telephones were operating inside the car, it meant that the jammers were not working properly. That created a panic and Rehman immediately picked up his cell phone and started contacting the IGP and the Home Department to know why the jammers were not working properly when Ms Bhutto was travelling towards Islamabad.
Babar said, however, he could not hear the conversation between Rehman and the government officials concerned as in the meantime, he got busy on his own cell phone.
However, Babar said they both reached the Bilawal House without having any idea about the injuries to Benazir, as they were under the strong impression that she was coming behind their car in a separate car.
But, Babar revealed, when he reached the Bilawal House and found Benazir missing, he got alarmed and his first spontaneous reaction was to rush back to Rawalpindi to know where Ms Bhutto was.
To his horror, Babar was told that she was in a critical condition at the General Hospital in Rawalpindi. Babar said he did not know at that time where Rehman Malik and other party leaders were, as he rushed inside the hospital where he found Ms Bhutto in a room.
He said, Major Imtiaz and Naheed Khan were present there but he did not know about the rest that who was there and who was not. But Babar remained silent on why Rehman Malik did not accompany him when he rushed to Rawalpindi after coming to know that Benazir was missing.
When asked who informed Asif Ali Zardari about the tragic death of Ms Bhutto, Farhatullah Babar said according to his information, that difficult job was done by Dr Safdar Abbasi.
But, one party source said Makhdoom Amin Fahim, who had taken Ms Bhutto to the hospital, had performed the most difficult task of his life to tell Asif Ali Zardari and his children that that they had lost Benazir Bhutto forever. This correspondent made several efforts to get the point of view of Rehman Malik but he did not attend the phone.
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
Three killed as Sh Rashid escapes attempt on life
By Shakeel Anjum
RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and a candidate for NA-55 (Rawalpindi) by-election Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was wounded, while three people — a guard and two party workers — were killed when four gunmen more |
|
|
12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan
ISLAMABAD: Twelve soldiers embraced martyrdom while two others were injured in a clash with militants during the ongoing operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the ISPR said on Monday.
S more |
|
|
Plan to attack five-star hotel foiled
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The CIA police here on Monday claimed to have foiled an attack on Americans staying at a five-star hotel and arrested six terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
Addressing a press conference, SS more |
|
|
Govt taking court for a ride
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: She fought her case in the media. She won her battle in the judicial forum too. But still the government is bent on making an example out of her for refusing to follow the illegal dictates of her min more |
|
|
Pakistan against arms race: Gilani
By Azeem Samar
KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan does not want to be engaged in an arms race with any country.
Speaking as chief guest at the induction ceremony of second Chinese-m more |
|
|
|
Punjab-Sindh water row Centre’s intervention sought
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Tension between Punjab and Sindh over opening of the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Punjnad link canals has touched a new high as the former has sought the Centre’s intervention.
The Punjab has sai more |
|
|
|
French, Dutch fight over giving LNG to Pakistan
By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team is all set to thwart the attempt of an unscrupulous combine of oil industry heavyweights and some functionaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Re more |
|
|
|
Nine killed as no let-up in rains
By Nisar Mahmood
PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed and scores of others injured as heavy rains and snowfall lashed various parts of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
Reports from the Shangla district more |
|
|
|
Malik orders NUML closure as protest enters 5ht day
ISLAMABAD: The protest of the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) against thrashing of Professor Malik Tahir by Registrar Brigadier (R) Obaidullah Ranjha entered its fifth consecutive more |
|
|
|
Malik insists no Blackwater in Pakistan
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik while responding to an accusation from a PML-N parliamentarian told the National Assembly that Blackwater was not providing security to the president and the prime mini more |
|
|
|
FBR gets list of properties rented out to foreigners
By Hanif Khalid
ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received list of properties from Foreign Office, which were in use of foreigners in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, but these were not shown in annual tax more |
|
|
|
Repealing of 17th Amendment
By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has begun efforts to create consensus on repealing the 17th Amendment before presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament.
The prime minis more |
|
|
|
Three suspects held in Mohmand
By our correspondent
GHALLANAI: The security forces arrested three suspected persons during search operation in Safi subdivision of Mohmand Agency, official sources said Monday. The sources said the security forces carried out sear more |
|
|
|
No presence of Blackwater, DynCorp in Pakistan, NA body told
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman again negated on Monday the presence of Blackwater, DynCorp or any other foreign security agency in the country. “Neither the Blackwater and the DynCorp nor any other s more |
|
|
|
Govt urged to take up water issue with India
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat while urging the government to take up the issue of ‘water terrorism’ with New Delhi, has question more |
|
|
|
Avalanche kills 17 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir
HELD SRINAGAR: Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed on Monday in an avalanche that slammed into a group of 70 combat troops at a high-altitude warfare training camp in Kashmir, the army said on Monday.
more |
|
|
|
Taliban defiant as Afghans flee ahead of assault
KANDAHAR: The Nato commanders urged the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in on Monday for a major assault on their key stronghold in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.
The Ta more |
|
|
|
Plea to freeze foreign accounts
By our correspondent
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the federal government to submit a reply within four weeks on a petition seeking freezing of accounts in foreign banks and recovery of illegal assets accumu more |
|
|
|
Attack on Sh Rashid
RAWALPINDI: The PML-N candidate for by-polls from NA-55, Malik Shakil Awan, has announced suspension of electioneering for a day to mourn the death of those killed in the attack on the office of his rival, Shei more |
|
|
|
Indian forces to halt Kashmir rally outside UN office
HELD SRINAGAR: The held Kashmir authorities deployed thousands of police and troops on Monday to prevent a protest outside the UN office here over the recent killing of two teenage boys by Indian security force more |
|
|
|
briefs...
20 die in Afghan floods, avalanches
KANDAHAR: Twenty people have died in floods and avalanches triggered by some of the heaviest rain and snow in Afghanistan for 50 years, an official said on Monday. At more |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
