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DG CAA directed plane should not be allowed to land: WC Farooq

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Prosecution witness Wing Commander Ahmed Farooq, secretary to former director general of Civil Aviation Authority Aminullah Chaudhry, told the Anti-Terrorism Court on Wednesday that he was asked by the DG CAA that the plane carrying the COAS should not be allowed to land anywhere in Pakistan.

The Anti-Terrorism Court Judge, Rehmat Hussain Jafferi, is hearing the October 12 plane conspiracy case in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is the main accused. The other six co-accused are former chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, former adviser to prime minister on Sindh affairs Syed Ghous Ali Shah, former chairman of PIA Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former chairman of Ehtesab Bureau Saifur Rehman, former principal secretary to prime minister Saeed Mehdi, and Sindh's former inspector-general of police Rana Maqbool Ahmed.

Farooq said on October 12, 1999, at about 5:50 p.m. he informed the DG CAA about the removal of the chief of the army staff. The DG asked about Farooq's source of information and contacted his source in Islamabad and then to his son in Lahore to confirm the news. On confirmation of the news he (Aminullah) expressed his shock, he added.

"Later, at about 6 p.m. the DG called me and said that the prime minister had talked to him. The DG told me that the prime minister had ordered him (Aminullah) that the plane carrying the COAS should not be allowed to land anywhere in Pakistan. The DG asked me how should it be done"?

Farooq said he told the DG that the job could only be done through the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and the Operations Department.

I was asked by the DG to ascertain the location of the plane and the expected time of its arrival, he added.

"On inquiry I came to know that the expected time of arrival (ETA) of the flight PK-805 coming from Colombo and carrying the COAS was 6:55 p.m. Radar Controller Nadeem informed me that PK-805 was 177 miles away and its expected arrival time was 6:55 p.m.

"The DG after getting information from me, said that the Karachi airports should be closed. The DG further said to me that these were the orders from the prime minister".

Farooq said that he contacted the ATC and ordered the closure of the airport. "The airport was closed by 6:29 p.m. I was under the instruction from the DG not to disclose the reason for closing the airport. The DG advised me that In case of any query about the closure, attribute the closure to technical reasons".

Farooq said "The DG asked me about the possibility to divert the plane to some other destination outside Pakistan. I then inquired from the ATC who told me that it was the discretion of the pilot and that of the airline's management".

"The DG then asked me to get him in touch with Khaqan Abbasi. But in the meantime, the ATC informed me that the pilot of the plane had announced fuel endurance for 60 minutes only. I informed the DG that the plane was short of fuel and could not go outside Pakistan. It should be allowed to land somewhere in Pakistan".

Farooq said that Aminullah Chaudhry told me that he was under orders from the prime minister and therefore he (Chaudhry) could not do anything.

Farooq said the instructions to divert the plane to somewhere outside Pakistan were passed on to the pilot. The pilot said that it was not possible for him to cover longer distance and that he should be allowed to land at the Nawabshah airport.

The DG, Farooq said, asked me whether the plane could land at Bombay airport. I Informed the DG that it could be done only during bad weather.

Farooq said that the DG was once again informed that the plane had limited fuel and a decision about its landing should be taken quickly.

The DG told me once again that he was under instruction from the prime minister and could not do nothing. The DG further told me that he was trying to contact the prime minister but in vain, Farooq added.

At about 7:15 p.m. I could contact the PM's ADC and transferred the call to the DG, he said.

"In the meantime, the ATC informed me that the plane had fuel only for about 40 minutes. I saw the DG packing up saying that he could do nothing more and was going home".

Farooq said that about 9:20 p.m. he called Yousuf Abbas. "There were loud voices in the background. I was told that the army had taken over the control and the plane had landed at the Karachi airport".

PPI adds:

Ahmed Farooq said the prime minister had directly phoned DG CAA.

He said when DG CAA received phone call of PM, he and Latif CO to CAA were sent out by DG from the room. The DG called them later and informed them of the details of PM's directives and asked about the procedure in this regard.

He testified that on directive of DG CAA, he tried to contact Yousuf Abbas, Chief Operator of Radar CAA, but as he was not available at that time, he directed the operator to connect his mobile phone.

The witness said he contacted Yousuf Abbas on his mobile and directed him to immediately reach the airport.

He said when he returned to DG CAA office, he was asked by DG whether airfield has been closed, he replied in negative. DG told the witness he had directed Aqeel General Manager (Air Traffic Control) ATC for the closure of Karachi airport. When he phoned Aqeel, he could not be contacted at ATC, as all phone lines of exchange were busy. Aqeel further asked me to contact ATC and convey the message of closing the airport.

He said when he contacted ATC, he was informed that a Fokker plane is landing and after it, airport would be closed. At about 6:29 pm the airfield of Karachi Airport was blocked.

Khawaja Sultan, defence counsel for ousted PM Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif ex-CM Punjab, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ex-Chairman PIA, Saeed Mehdi former Principal Secretary to PM and Saifur Rehman member of suspended senate, later cross-examined Ahmed Farooq.

Another prosecution witness, Ch Mohammed Zubair, Sub-Inspector of P S Airport Karachi, said on November 10, 1999, Col Atiquzzaman Keyani gave him a written complaint against the accused, which he lodged under section 161 Cr P C.

He said he prepared Musheer Nama of the incident after inspecting Karachi Airport. SHO Airport Waqar Malhan and SI Gohar Zaman also accompanied him.

On November 13, 1999, on information of SHO, he with Gohar Zaman reached Malir Cantonment and formally arrested Aminullah Choudhry, who later became approver of the court, Syed Ghous Ali Shah, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Rana Maqbool ex-IG police Sindh. On November 18, 1999, at about 11:30 pm, he formally arrested ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was in custody of Rangers.

Replying to question of Khawaja Sultan, the witness said word "high treason" was present in FIR, but he did not write the section. He replied the had never before heard the word "high treason".

He replied that the names of Saifur Rehman, Shahbaz Sharif and Saeed Mehdi were not mentioned in the written complaint. He said he was not aware, why these accused were arrested nor enquired about it.

Third prosecution witness Nazeer Ahmed Kehar, Director Engineering PIA produced case property before the court including, cockpit voice recorder (CVR), performance monitoring recorder (PMR) and digital flight data recorder (DFDR) of flight PK-805. The court unsealed instruments. He said in CVR, conversation of 30 minutes of the cockpit and land frequencies are recorded and could be heard.

His cross-examination was continuing, when the court adjourned the proceeding for Thursday (February 17).

All accused were brought to ATC premises at Municipal Research and Training Institute (MRTI), Clifton, Karachi, amid tight security of Rangers and police.

The court has already framed charges against the accused and recorded statements of 22 prosecution witnesses till Wednesday.