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Capt Sarwat narrates Oct 12 story PK-805 told not to land at Karachi airport

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Captain Sarwat, pilot of the PIA flight No. PK-805 carrying home the Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Pervez Musharraf and 197 other passengers on October 12 said on Thursday that the Air Traffic Control (ATC) had instructed him not to land at the Karachi airport and proceed to Nawabshah.

He was recording his statement before the Anti Terrorism Court where the October 12 plane conspiracy case being heard by the ATC Judge Rehmat Hussain Jafferi. The main accused in the case former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, and six co-accused were present.

The witness said that he was captain of the Colombo-Karachi flight. The flight from Colombo to Male remained normal till it entered the Karachi jurisdiction at around 6 p.m. His first contact with ATC was when he received the routine entry permission clearance. When he was close to a position called SPNA, instructions were given to him to go to an alternate airport.

"I told the ATC that the plane had only about 20 minutes fuel upon which I was instructed to proceed to Nawabshah. It was at this stage that I came to know that the Karachi airport had been closed and the flight had to be diverted to Nawabshah," he said.

It was at about 6:45 p.m. when ATC informed him that the Nawabshah airport was also closed for him. "This created an alarming situation. It was at this point that I asked the purser to call Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the COAS to come to the cockpit. I briefed him on the situation" he added.

He said in the meanwhile the ATC told him that all airports were closed for the flight and it could proceed to any other airport outside Pakistan.

Capt. Sarwat said that he told the ATC that the plane had 198 passengers, including the COAS and any delay in landing could cause a mishap. After a few minutes he received permission to land at Nawabshah and later to return to Karachi at about 7:15 p.m. "Since the instructions were confusing and changing every moment, we had lost confidence in the ATC," he added.

A little later the ATC asked him to switch over to the control tower and seek instructions from the military. Gen. Iftikhar came on line and identified himself and said the Karachi airport was available. He instructed me to talk to the ATC.

The witness said at about 7:45, the plane landed at the Karachi airport and the COAS, along with other passengers disembarked.

Captain Shahnawaz Dara then acting director, flight operation, PIA, was earlier crossed examined by the defence counsels on Thursday. He was also cross examined on Wednesday.

Rukhsar Ahmed, former personal security officer to adviser to prime minister on Sindh affairs Syed Ghous Ali Shah, recorded his statement and said he heard former inspector general of Sindh police Rana Maqbool Ahmed, insisting that he was under instructions from the former prime minister to take control of the Karachi airport.

He said the former IGP was talking to Syed Ghous Ali Shah at the VIP lounge.

APP adds: Rukhsar told the court on Thursday that Syed Ghous Ali Shah had asked former IGP Sindh in his presence whether he could take over the airport.

He said in the VIP Lounge on October 12, 1999, Syed Ghous Ali Shah while pointing toward the IGP said whether the airport could be taken over now? Same words were repeated by former IGP Rana Maqbool Ahmed to ex-DIG Mohammad Akbar Arain. Akbar asked for the reason and IGP insisted that he was under instructions from the top that the aircraft of the Army Chief should no tbe permitted to land. Akbar Arain regretted and said that he could not do it.

Earlier, at about 7.20 p.m. Syed Ghous Ali Shah, Rana Maqbool and Col. Mushtaq Tahir Khelli went towards the VIP lounge of the airport.

"At about 4.45 p.m. Syed Ghous Ali Shah called me. As soon as I entered the office of the Adviser to PM, I saw Rana Maqbool and Col. Mushtaq Tahir Khelli sitting in the office. Ghous was offering prayers in the side room. IGP told me to connect him to SSP Nawabshah Ahsanullah Gondal. I asked the operator to do so. Within four to five minutes Gondal was connected. IGP took over the receiver and asked me to leave the office. I heard IGP saying, "Do you know IGP is speaking? Meanwhile, Ghous Ali Shah, Rana Maqbool and Mushtaq Tahir Khelli came out of the office. Ghous asked me to arrange the vehicles.

Rukhsar said when he asked about the destination, Shah said he would be informed later. The witness said Shah, Rana Maqbool and Col. Tahir Khelli sat in a Mercedes car and he was in a follow-up vehicle. At gate No 1 of C M House he was asked on wireless to proceed to the Airport, he added.

Rukhsar said: " Earlier, on October 12, 1999 Syed Ghous Ali Shah was presiding over a meeting between the federal and provincial government on transport. During the meeting Maqbool Shaikh, ex-MPA called on intercom and asked me to connect him to Shah Sahib. I told him that he was in a meeting. Shaikh insisted that he had to deliver an important message. Shah was informed. While speaking to Maqbool Shaikh, Shah said, "the main was good but in a fight between two persons one has to go. Shah told all the members present in the meeting that Nawaz Sharif had dismissed/removed Gen Pervez Musharraf."

Later, when Akbar Arain declined to take over the Airport, Ghous, IGP and Tahir Khelli came out of the VIP Lounge and went towards the vehicles. Shah, Rana Maqbool and Tahir Khelli drove away to the CM House."