At its peak, the FSF comprised over 15,000 personnel. Its primary responsibilities included assisting the police in maintaining order, securing political events, surveilling political opponents and, in some instances, using violence to suppress opposition.[3] The FSF also engaged in intelligence collection aimed at countering opposition parties and identifying potential threats.[3]
Haq Nawaz Tiwana was the FSF's first director general, later replaced by Masood Mahmood, a former British Indian Police Service officer and a Lincoln's Inn law graduate.[3] Mahmood's tenure saw a close collaboration with Bhutto, but shifted allegiance to Zia-ul-Haq following the reopening of the Nawab Muhammad Ahmed Khan Kasuri murder case and he testified against Bhutto, contributing to his execution.[3]
The necessity and motives behind the FSF's establishment have been subjects of debate. Critics argue that its creation was driven by Bhutto's desire to suppress opposition and instill fear among political adversaries.[3] The FSF was implicated in several violent incidents, including the killing of Nazir Ahmad, a Jamaat-i-Islami leader, and the Liaquat Bagh shooting in 1973, which resulted in numerous casualties.[3]
The FSF's legitimacy as a coup-prevention unit came under scrutiny, and its operations increasingly attracted public criticism.[3] The FSF was officially disbanded in July 1977 by Zia-ul Haq administration.[3] After its disestablishment in 1977, cases were opened against FSF officials Mian Abbas, Arshad Iqbal, Ghulam Mustafa, and Rana Iftikhar and were later sentenced to death for extrajudicial killings.[3]
References
^Cowasjee, Ardeshir (28 June 1997). "The missing chapter". DAWN newspaper. Retrieved 25 March 2008.
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