Sharif al Mujahid in his book In Quest of Jinnah Diary, Notes and Correspondence of Hector Bolitho (pp. 51-2), which collates many unpublished pieces by Jinnah's first biographer, includes this excerpt dated 11 April [1952]:
"Visit to Liaquat Gardens [Rawalpindi] with James Hardy, Assistant District Commissioner of Police, who was present when Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated — at Rawalpindi. Hardy described the scene: We walked to a bare stretch of ground, with a few thirsty trees and some flowering shrubs in tin tubs. The ground has since been called Liaquat Gardens. Hardy told me that half a lakh [50,000] of people were gathered on the ground to hear Liaquat speak. There were 300 policemen. Liaquat walked towards the dais, under an arch of spears, held by fifty Muslim guards. By his own orders, Liaquat sat alone on the dais, with the military [political] secretary behind him. He was to make an announcement, probably concerning Kashmir. The address of welcome was read and then presented to him. It was placed on the table before him. Then the president of the local branch of the Muslim League went to the dais and said that Liaquat would address the crowd. There were cheers and the president stepped down again.
Hardy said, "Liaquat stood up and took three steps forward. He had said only, 'Brothers of the congregation', in Urdu, when there were two shots. He fell, dragging the rostrum with him. There was pandemonium. I was sitting on ground level. As I leapt up on the dais, another shot was fired. I went down on my knees, leaning over him. I said, 'where have you been hurt?' He said, 'I feel pain in my back, on my left side.'I said, 'Would you like some water? I will get a doctor.' There was another volley of shots, from the police, fired indiscriminately. I lowered myself over Liaquat's body, on my hands. I could hear him reciting the Kalma-the Muslim creed. I unbuttoned his coat and saw blood, as I reached the fourth button.
"Sadik [Siddique] Ali Khan, the military [political] secretary, had caught Liaquat as he fell. A doctor appeared and I pushed to find a car or an ambulance. Liaquat had lost consciousness: his eyeballs had turned upwards, and his mouth had fallen open.
"The pale-skinned little Afghan who had fired the shot with a 38 Inger, was set on by the crowd, who were out of control. His ribs were broken by men who smashed at him with the heavy palm post. There were spear wounds and four revolver wounds in his body.
"From the Liaquat Gardens, I went to the broadcasting studio. There was a recording machine and microphone on the dais and as Liaquat fell, he must have dragged the microphone with him. I heard the pathetic record, played for me at the studio-the shots, the moans, a gasp, and, faintly, the prayer."