Naheed asked BB to wave hands to crowd, driver tells court

The driver in his statement in the Benazir murder case, said that Naheed Khan had asked Ms Bhutto’s servant to open the escape hatch of the vehicle and encouraged her to wave hands to PPP supporters.

The witness also claimed that Ms Khan herself tried to open the escape hatch but failed and then asked the servant to do that.

The driver who is currently serving at Islamabad’s Zardari House stated before the court that former interior minister Rehman Malik was in one of the four back-up vehicles which had left Liaquat Bagh before the departure of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

While cross-examined, Javed Rehman said his brother Khizer Hayat was driving the vehicle in which Rehman Malik was travelling. About 20 minutes after the attack on Ms Bhutto, his brother called him and said Mr Malik was asking why his car did not reach the Zardari House, the witness said. “I told my brother that Ms Bhutto had been injured in the attack and he was near Chandni Chowk, the witness said.

“Naheed Khan asked me to rush to hospital after Ms Bhutto was injured”, the driver said.

The court adjourned the hearing till September 14.