On death anniversary of #Bhutto 2day, we reflect on #ZAB, Zia & judiciary. However, this thread is about how important it is to appoint good police officers as in Bhutto's case it was the testimony of his close aide Masood Mahmood-a senior & highly unscrupulous police officer 1/N

which led him to the gallows.Mahmood headed the dreaded FSF- which acted like a private militia & was accused of hounding & murdering Bhutto's opponents. Mahmood was very close to Bhutto & enjoyed unprecedented access & powers during his time. He was a scounderal & blackguard 2/N

He was a graduate of Government College who had joined Royal Indian Air Force during the 2nd World War. After independence he was seconded to police service and alloted to East Pakistan in 1948. He was ASP Dacca in 1952 when he gave orders to fire on protestors during Bengali 3/N

language riots- this incident led took anti-West Pakistan sentiment in East Pakistan to a feverish pitch. He was transferred to West Pakistan where he again became center of controversy while serving in Karachi. The episode led to the transfer of Sir Gilbert Grace, IG Sind, & 4/N

Masood Mahmood, who then mostly served in non-police jobs till 1974s when Bhutto appointed him head of FSF in place of Haq Nawaz Tiwana. FSF was accused of murder of Nawab Ahmad Khan Kasuri and a FIR was registered against Bhutto but the case remained dormant during his tenure5/N

Highly obnoxious & controversial officer, Mahmood was involved in giving orders of roughing up Bhutto's political opponents. After Zia's coup in 1977, Masood Mahmood was arrested from Abottabad. Kasuri case was dusted off from the shelves. Highly unscrupulous,Mahmood switched 6/N

sides immediately and turned approver against ZAB. Another unscrupulous police officer Saeed Ahmad Khan, who was Chief Security Officer to ZAB & arrested after the coup, provided prosecution material & was set free. Both Saeed & Mahmood were very close to Bhutto & v.powerful 7/N

Bhutto was hanged on testimony of Masood Mahmood as a result of highly controversial split judicial verdict. Masood moved to USA & settled in Los Angles under a witness protection program & lived his remaining life in virtual hiding or obscurity as he was a high value target 8/N

in the eyes of PPP members & Murtaza Bhutto's Al Zulfikar. He passed away and is buried abroad. Bhutto showed poor judgment in the appointment of Zia, Masood Mahmood & Saeed Ahmad Khan. Bhutto was a great admirer of Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he considered the most complete man 9/N

in modern history. Ironically,Napoleon in his exile days used to blame his long-serving chief of police/interior minister Fouche for his downfall. One would have expected a person of Bhutto's sense of history to have been more careful & judicious in selecting his close aides 10/N

belonging to police but unfortunately- as the examples of Masood Mahmood & Saeed Ahmad Khan prove- that was not the case and Bhutto paid a heavy price for that. Thread concluded 11/11