Rawalpindi - Another key witness retracted his earlier statement before an anti-terrorism court here on Monday in Benazir Bhutto murder case.
The court adjourned the hearing in the case till July 8, 2015. According to details, Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Rai Muhammad Ayub Marth held hearing of the case in heavily guarded Adiala Jail when a prosecution witness SSP Maj (Retd) Imtiaz withdrew his earlier statement in favour of Rawalpindi police during cross-examination by the defence lawyer.
In his recent statement, SSP Maj (Retd) Imtiaz said that there was foolproof security for Benazir Bhutto outside Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007, the day she was killed in a gun-and-bomb attack soon after she ended her electioneering. He added that all the police officers including then City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Saud Aziz were also present on the scene to secure Benazir. He added that Benazir Bhutto lost her life because of her own mistake. “Had Benazir not appeared from sunroof of the vehicle, she might have been saved from attackers,” he said.
Earlier, Maj (Retd) Imtiaz had stated before the ATC that
Benazir Bhutto was killed owing to feeble security arrangements outside Liaquat Bagh. He had said that CPO Syed Saud Aziz and other high-ups were not on duty when the attackers targeted BB. After ending the cross-examination, the ATC Special Judge Rai Muhammad Ayub Marth deferred hearing till July 8, 2015.
Talking to The Nation, FIA Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar Ali blasted prosecution witness SSP Maj (Retd) Imtiaz saying, “Maj (Retd) Imtiaz has ruined the high profile case.” He said that the withdrawal of Maj (Retd) Imtiaz from his earlier statement was a big setback in the case.