Daily Times

Mr. Humayun Rasul served as a civil servant on the post of commissioner Multan in the late 1970’s, particularly in the days of Bhutto and General Ziaul Haq. Having cordial relation with both of leaders, Mr. Humayun shared bunch of beautiful memories from the days of late 70’s and early 80’s with the CAP OHP team in Lahore. Part of his story was centered on the hanging of Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. He recollected that in light of the allegations against Mr. Bhutto and with no response from the President of Pakistan, Mr. Bhutto was to be hanged on the 4th of April 1979 as per the orders of the honorable court.

In those days, Mr. Humayun was serving in the military establishment division and on that morning of 4th of April 1979; he was called on an intercom by his senior to accompany him to listen from the magistrate about the last moments of such a populous leader. Mr. Mashkoor who was magistrate assigned that particular morning at the Adiyala Jail-Rawalpindi narrates that right before Fajr prayers we were to approach Mr. Bhutto’s cell to take him to the hanging station.

According to the rules set for the formal procedure of hanging the presence of a doctor to confirm medical death and magistrate to sign the document is necessary. Thus when they approached Mr. Bhutto in his cell, he didn’t believe at first that they were really going to hang him and he even asked them “Oh so you are going to hang me? Alright, then!” Mr. Bhutto was then asked to be lifted if he was not feeling ok by now, Mr. Bhutto denied any help and decided on walking to the hanging station himself. ??Mr. Mashkoor narrates that while on his way to the hanging station Mr. Bhutto kept on repeating it “this is not fair, this is unacceptable”, “yehziyadti or zulumhai”. However, on approaching the station, Mr. Bhutto, owing to his habit of rushing through the stairs, left them behind and went straight upwards, ‘tuktuktuk’ the sound of him climbing up the stairs. Whilewhen he was being hanged he kept on saying this is very unfair and people will never forget it.

Published in Daily Times, June 25th, 2017.