CM forms new team to probe 2007 Karsaz bomb attack

Team includes AIG CTD Sanaullah Abbasi, SSP CTD Omer Shahid Hamid and

SIU SP Muhammad Farooq Awan

The Sindh chief minister said on Tuesday that he had formed a special team of senior police officials to reinvestigate the October 18, 2007 Karsaz attack on the homecoming rally of slain Pakistan People’s Party leader that killed 180 people and injured several others.

Murad Ali Shah was talking to reporters at the “Memorial of Martyrs” at Karsaz on Sharea Faisal where he went to offer fateha and lay a floral wreath on the anniversary of October 18 attack.

The team will include Additional IG Counter-Terrorism Department Sanaullah Abbasi, SSP CTD Omer Shahid Hamid and Special Investigation Unit SP Muhammad Farooq Awan.

The chief minister told reporters said that unfortunately the investigation into the Karsaz attack could not take place properly.

“This delay occurred because of a conspiracy under which the evidence was instantly removed, but that doesn’t mean that the attack can’t be probed again,” he added.

Shah said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had instructed him to order a re-inquiry into the case.

The chief minister said the PPP was a party of martyrs and it had compensated the families of all those who had sacrificed for the cause. He added that the families which had not been compensated yet would be done so soon. “We will not leave them alone,” he assured.

He said Bilawal had launched his political struggle with the Oct 16 rally. “The response of the people of Karachi was unprecedented, therefore the struggle of the chairman will also be a historic one,” he remarked.

 “I am thankful to the people of Karachi who welcomed the PPP chairman and the party.

Shah assured the citizens of Karachi that he would serve them with his heart and soul.

Replying to a question, he said that the federal government had formed a cabinet committee on energy but only the Punjab chief minister was invited to its meetings while the others were ignored. “This is an unfair policy; all provinces must be treated equally,” he added.

He warned the federal government that one province should not be developed at the cost of others.

Shah said he was not against the development of Punjab or any other province. “I am a citizen of Pakistan and all the cities and province of the country are my cities and provinces.”

However, he added, spending the development share of other cities of Punjab on Lahore alone was not right and all cities must be treated equally.

Comments on governor

Talking about Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, the chief minister said if he was the longest serving governor in the country’s history there was nothing wrong about that.

“He (the governor) is a representative of the federal government and if they want to continue with him it is their decision,” he added. He said the governor meeting with Bilawal was a routine meeting. “The chairman hasn’t invited him [the governor] to join the party.

Replying to a question, Shah it was not new that allegations were being levelled against the governor. These allegations were levelled against him in the past too but they were refuted.

He said some politicians were using terminologies of cricket. “This is not a game but serious business and the objective is to serve the masses,” he added.