ISLAMABAD: Naheed Khan, former political secretary to slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, on Monday approached the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) to respond to an allegation that she had asked for the opening of the escape hatch of Ms Bhutto’s vehicle after the Liaquat Bagh public meeting on January 27, 2007.

On September 2, Javedur Rehman, an employee of the Zardari House who was driving the vehicle of Ms Bhutto when she was assassinated outside Liaquat Bagh, testified before the ATC that Naheed Khan had asked Razzaq Mirani, Ms Bhutto’s servant, to open the escape hatch (sunroof) of the bombproof vehicle.

The witness claimed that Ms Khan also encouraged the PPP leader to wave to the party workers and supporters from her vehicle.

Ms Khan also filed a request with the ATC to obtain the records of the case proceedings and the written statement of Mr Rehman.

Speaking to the press outside the ATC, Ms Khan said a request had been made for the record of the court proceedings.

“Whatever has been attributed to me, it is my legal right to defend myself and my legal team will advise me on how to proceed,” she said.

About the request for the documents, Ms Khan’s legal counsel said any citizen can obtain a public document by simply filing an application.

“The judge has issued notices to the complainant (in the Benazir murder case) and the special prosecutor and summoned the entire record to be handed over to the applicant on September 14.”

He added: “For reasons best known to the court, it asked us to submit a petition for this, so we did. The case has been adjourned for arguments till Sept 14.”

It may be noted that Naheed Khan’s statement was recorded by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the Benazir murder case in 2009. But the agency neither produced the statement before the ATC nor asked her to testify in the case.

Ms Khan said she had neither advised Ms Bhutto to wave to her supporters nor asked anyone to open the escape hatch.

“The revelations have been made by a witness who is still a personal servant of Asif Ali Zardari. I will surely respond after examining his statement.”

She said Makhdoom Amin Fahim and her spouse Safdar Abbasi were also travelling in the vehicle but the investigators never included them among the witnesses.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2015

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