Mysterious escape of Rashid Rauf has made a stir in the high level circles of two countries as a well conceived planning seems to be behind this incident and any element of human error seems nowhere in the matter.
President Pervez Musharraf has taken serious note of this incident and directed all concerned quarters to investigate the matter and ensure seizure of the mastermind of the aircraft plotting case 
Investigations into escape of Rashid Rauf, alleged mastermind of the August 2006 transatlantic aircraft-bombing plot from police custody has started. While the interior ministry has issued directives to the deputy commissioner Islamabad to summon the police officers and constables escorting the accused.
Caretaker Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz had constituted a 3-member committee headed by Additional Interior Secretary Imtiaz Qazi and comprising Additional Director General FIA Mirza Yasin Beg and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Aamer Ahmad Ali to probe into the matter.
The interior ministry has issued notification to Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Aamir Ahmad Ali directing him to hold inquiry into the matter.
Talking to Online Monday, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Aamir Ahmad Ali said escape of Rashid Rauf from police custody is not an ordinary case. It is an international issue. If need be investigations will also be made from the high-ranking police officers, he added.
According to a local newspaper Rauf had been allowed by the two cops who were taking him back to jail from the court to go for prayers inside a mosque with his handcuffs on while the cops agreed to wait for him in a private car. He escaped from the mosque with his handcuffs on.
It is also learnt that a warning letter was sent to the capital police by the superintendent district jail to tighten security of the high profile British national of Pakistani origin, as he was a hardened criminal, Adiala jail a local daily reported.
The letter, dispatched in the second week of December, was addressed to SP (Headquarters) as well as a DSP of the police headquarters responsible for deploying duties,the sources said, and added that the authorities, taking it as a routine letter, marked it to the higher authorities without taking any measures to beef up Rauf’s security, it was reported in a section of press.
Margalla Police have started investigating two police constables escorting Rashid Rauf. Sources told these police constables did not take the matter seriously of that of safety and security of Rashid Rauf and treated him like an ordinary prisoner.
Police sources told that they the police often took Rashid Rauf in a taxi in connection with his inquiry.
Rashid Rauf, sources told was taken to Additional Deputy Commissioner Malik Zafar for inquiry on Saturday wherefrom he escaped from police custody.
Rashid Rauf, who is resident of Bahawalpur, was declared by the government a mastermind of aircraft bombing plot and was arrested. He was shifted to Adiyala Jail.
A leading newspaper reported that the detained cops told the investigating team that they were going to Adiala Jail with the suspect in a private cab with the consent of Inspector (Hawalaat) at about 3.00 pm. Rauf had his handcuffs on. As they reached Adiala Road, near Gulshan-e-Abad, the suspect said that he wanted to perform his prayers and asked the policemen to wait for him in the cab, the policemen said.They added that they kept waiting for him for about 20 minutes but he did not return. Constable Tufail went inside the mosque but Rauf had escaped, with his handcuffs, using the rear door, they maintained.
The paper reports, “The authorities took the transportation of the suspect so non-seriously that only two cops were deputed to move him and that too in a private cab instead of a police mobile van,” an officer engaged in the investigation said. “Apparently, Inspector (Hawalaat) is responsible for his escape because he is supposed to take the undertrial inmates from jail and send them back escorted by heavily guarded police vehicles,” the officer said. Police sources told Rashid Rauf was innocent in the case and was arrested by the government under pressure from the UK.
Different police parties are conducing raids in Bahawalpur and other places for the arrest of Rashid Rauf, police sources said adding the accused would soon be arrested.
Copy Editor: Muhammad Zaka Ullah