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Plane conspiracy case Complainant of FIR, IO record statements

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Complainant of the FIR in the October 12 plane conspiracy case Lt. Col. Atiquzzaman Kiyani, protocol officer of Corp-5 Headquarters Karachi, and the Investigation Officer Waqar Malhan on Saturday recorded their statements before the Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Rehmat Hussain Jafri. This brought to an end the recording of statements.

Prosecution side will close on Wednesday (Feb. 23) after the cross-examination of the IO.

Before recording the statement of Col. Kiyani, the court directed him not to discuss hearsay statement during recording of his statement.

Col. Kiyani said on October 12, 1999, he reached the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport to tie up reception arrangements for the COAS Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who was coming to Karachi by PIA flight No. PK- 805 from Colombo and was to land at Karachi airport.

He said he saw the runway blocked and the lights switched off. He said he saw former adviser to prime minister on Sindh affairs Ghous Ali Shah, former IGP Sindh Rana Maqbool, along with their entourage arrived at the airport and went towards the domestic lounge. Later on, he said, he saw DIG Karachi Mohammed Akber Arain and SSP, East Bashir Memon also came and went towards the domestic lounge.

Col. Kiyani said he saw extra-ordinary police activity at the airport.

He said at about 6:40 p.m. Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Muzzafar H. Usmani, along with Maj. Zafarullah Khan Wazir, arrived at the airport. He, along with Brig. Tariq Ali Khan, Commander Logistic Area, and Brig. Naveed Nasar, Commander ASF, received the Corps Commander.

He said after some time army troops Ex 5 Corps (Reserve) arrived at Jinnah terminal, lights were switched on and blockade were removed to facilitate landing of the flight PK-805. The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) was instructed by the army to allow the flight to land. It landed later on.

Col. Keyani said on the orders of the deposed prime minister the flight No. PK-805 was hijacked with intent and ulterior motive to kill COAS and other passengers on the board. He said it was an act of terrorism.

He said Gen. Musharraf was prompt enough to appear on the TV and gave detail of the entire incident. He said that after investigating with a number of agencies he lodged FIR at the Airport Police Station on November 10, 1999.

The defence counsel cross examined Col. Kiyani.

APP adds: Lt. Col. Kiyani said he was collecting details about the incident of October 12, 1999, and this delayed in the registration of his complaint with the police.

The witness said that the one reason for delay was that General Pervez Musharraf has narrated some details in his speech and second that facts finding probe was initiated to ascertain the involvement of actual persons behind the scene.

Kiyani said he contacted about 150 people of different government agencies including PIA, CAA and ASF to find out facts himself and maintained he will not give their names.

"Since the matter was being probed by various agencies, I lodged the FIR on 10.11.99 at Airport Police Station Karachi," he said.

The prosecution was led by Advocate General, Raja Qureshi, Barrister Zahoorul Haq and M Ilyas Khan, while Khawaja Sultan and Manzoor Malik of defence counsel cross-examined the witness.

Later, the court recorded the statement of investigation officer SHO Airport Police Station Waqar Malhan and presented related documents including audio and video tapes and spool, black box and transcripts of recordings before the court.

Khawaja Sultan of defence counsel objected on the submission of these documents saying that unless the identity of voices are verified and persons recording these spools are confirmed these articles cannot be submitted as the court's record.

Speaking on the occasion, AG Sindh Raja Qureshi said that ATC on December 17, has issued orders regarding the supply of these transcripts on the application of defence counsel and the lawyers for the accused had been using these transcripts during their cross-examination, therefore these documents may be admitted as evidence in the case.

After listening to the arguments from both sides, the judge in his order permitted to submit transcripts as evidence and exhibit. He further said that five spools have been submitted as articles in the case subject to the proof.

The cross-examination of the witness was reserved for want of time till Wednesday.