ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Premier Zulfigar Ali Bhutto wanted to make a last will but there was no time left for him as the jail superintendent ordered the head warder to carry him out to the gallows, according to a retired army colonel who was beside him in his last days.

Shortly before Bhutto was taken to the gallows, a magistrate asked Bhutto if he wanted to make a will but there was no response. The magistrate then wanted to know if he would like to dictate a will. This time Bhutto said “yes I would like to”.

However, there was no time left. The jail superintendent ordered the head warder to bring his men in to carry Bhutto out.

A gripping account of the execution was given by the Pakistan’s army col (retd) M. Rafiuddin, whose 140-page Urdu book’s excerpts are being published by Pakistani dailies and claim to be the first authentic account of Bhutto’s last days.

Bhutto was executed in Rawalpindi on April 4,1979, charged with the murder of Nawab Mohammad Ahmed Khan, father of Mavenick political figure and former member of the Pakistan people’s party, Sahibzada Ahmed Raza Khan Kasuri.

Then on a hunger strike, Bhutto, looking j very weak, ‘was Carried towards the scaffold, writes Col Rafiuddin, who was personally responsible for the security of Bhutto from the moment he was flown to Rawalpindi from Lahore on May 17,1978, till his death.

As per the superintendent’s order to the head warder four warders came into the cell, Two of them lifted him by the arms and two by the feet “When he was being moved out, his waist was nearly touching the ground, The lower end of his shirt at one point got caught up under the feet of the warders and it tore”, Col. Rafiuddin wrote.

“In the courtyard, Bhutto was placed on a stretcher, both his hands placed on his stomach and put in handcuffs”.

Just at that moment, Abdul Rehaman appeared with a cup of tea for Bhutto.

The four warders then began to walk towards the scaffold, Bhutto had his head slightly raised but appeared to be insensitive to his surroundings.

He did not utter a word or make a movement while the stretcher was being carried for a distance of about 250 yards. The stretcher was then placed on the ground near the execution site.

Two of the warders led Bhutto to the scaffold, their hands under his armpits. “They stood him on it”.

“I was then closest to him, my feet just a few inches from the plank on which he was standing”, continues Col. Rafiuddin.

Bhutto’s handcuffs were then removed, his hands put behind his back with a jerk and rebound. While this was being done, Tara Masih, the hangman, put a mask over his head fully covering his face.

Either because he had difficulty breathing or because he had got hurt when his hands were yanked behind, Bhutto said “Ye Mujhai” (this to me). He did not speak after that.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 13, 1991