KARACHI, Jan 3: Depositions before the inquiry tribunal investigating the Oct 18, 2007, Karsaz blasts established on Thursday that the police not only failed to check the identities of some 300 to 400 volunteers of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) who were guarding former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s float, but the law-enforcement personnel entrusted with the duty of implementing the approved security plan did not verify the volunteers’ authority or whether any of them was armed.

This information came to light when the inquiry tribunal cross-examined a witness, SP Javed Ahmed Baloch, who had been the nominated float commander of Ms Bhutto’s homecoming procession.

Under the pre-approved security plan, amongst the many responsibilities of the police was to ensure that no unauthorised or suspicious person or vehicle was able to approach the PPP motorcade, as well as to ensure that no PPP leader was accompanied on the motorcade by an armed gunman.

Responding to a question raised by the head of the tribunal, Justice (retd) Dr Ghaus Mohammed, at the start of Wednesday’s proceedings, SP Baloch confirmed that he had full knowledge of the security plan and arrangements, and that a copy of these details had been given to him.

He testified that he had coordinated with PPP leader Agha Siraj Durrani, who had informed the superintendent at the airport that no police personnel would be deputed on the float and that PPP worker Akram Baloch would be in charge of the float’s security. Telling the tribunal that Mr Durrani placed between 300 and 400 PPP volunteers to guard the float when it arrived at Terminal 1, SP Baloch testified that he had personally informed SSP Security Dr Amin Yousafzai about this.

“Since it was your duty to ensure that no unauthorised person came close to the float, what measures did the police take?” questioned the tribunal. “How do you know that all the volunteers were authorised?”

SP Baloch responded that all the PPP volunteers had known each other and had not allowed anyone to check the main vehicle, including their own party leaders. According to the superintendent’s deposition, the volunteers also barred the bomb disposal squad initially, and allowed the squad to sweep the vehicle only after he [SP Baloch] approached PPP worker and security overseer Akram Baloch in this regard.

The superintendent further said that since all the volunteers had worn the same uniform adorned with party flags, he had presumed that they were authorised PPP volunteers.

Weapons’ check not undertaken

“How could you presume that all of them were authorised PPP volunteers? Did the police check them to ensure that they were not carrying any weapons, since it was not allowed [under the security plan]?” questioned the tribunal.

The witness conceded that none of the apparent volunteers had been checked by the police. He hastily added that the volunteers had come to the airport in a bus and PPP leader Mr Durrani had informed the police that they had been checked and were unarmed.

SP Baloch testified that the crowd had been at a distance of about 50 feet from the float and the rush prevented the maintenance of a larger distance.

In response to another question, he said that the police took measures and did not allow any unauthorised person to approach the float carrying Ms Bhutto from the airport to the Karsaz bridge.

“But don’t you feel it was a security lapse that 300 to 400 people were there but they were not checked?” asked the court. This prompted additional advocate-general Arshad Lodhi to intervene and try to explain, but the tribunal made it clear that it wanted to know whether a security lapse had taken place.

Referring to a requirement of the security plan that the “armed gunmen of political leaders would not be allowed to travel with the motorcade,” SP Baloch conceded that this had not, in fact, been checked.SP Baloch further testified that he did not see the head of the suspected suicide bomber at the scene of the blasts. “Due to panic and confusion, people were running away here and there and therefore, I could not further concentrate except that I went towards the injured persons,” he said.

‘No plainclothesmen visible’

Meanwhile, a police inspector who had been on duty in front of the Oct 18 procession also testified before the tribunal.

Inspector Tasdeeq Waris Shaikh informed the tribunal that his duty had been to ensure that no one approached Ms Bhutto’s float from the front.

He deposed that he had followed the security plan given to him. A hostile crowd rushed towards the police when the first blast occurred, he said, adding that he had not seen any plainclothesmen and could not say whether any such force had been deputed along the route.

Responding to a query, he said that he had no knowledge as to whether the 300 to 400 PPP volunteers had been checked for weapons. He further deposed that “I did not see any suspect on the route.”

“As security was your responsibility, what measures had the police taken in such a large crowd?” asked the tribunal. Inspector Shaikh said that the police made efforts to keep the public away from the float. “What was Ms Bhutto’s position at the time of the blast,” asked Justice (retd) Dr Ghaus.

The inspector said that since he was deputed towards the front of the procession, he could not see Ms Bhutto’s position. However, he added, during the journey from the airport to Karsaz he had seen the assassinated leader standing behind bullet-proof glass.

The tribunal later instructed its liaison officer, SSP Niaz Khoso, to produce two more witnesses at the next date and adjourned proceedings until Jan 7.