Mysterious death: Sunni Ittehad Council leader dies in custody

Tariq Mehboob was handed over to the Rangers for a 90-day preventive detention by an ATC two days earlier.

HYDERABAD/ KARACHI: Anjuman Naujwanan-i-Islam chief and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leader Tariq Mehboob died in mysterious circumstances in the Central Jail, Karachi, on Saturday. His custody had been granted to the Rangers for a 90-day preventive detention by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) two days earlier.

Mehboob, along with five other people including his family and party members, was arrested during a raid at his residence near Yousuf Plaza in Federal B Area. The other men detained with him were later released. A couple of days after the arrest, Mehboob was produced before the ATC where the Rangers claimed he was facilitating and providing financial support to target killers and was arrested on the basis of credible information. On the other hand, Mehboob had denied the charges.

Mehboob was being kept at the Rangers' cell at the Central Jail, where he died under mysterious circumstances on Saturday. The body was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for autopsy where the doctors have kept the post-mortem report confidential. "External bruises were found on the body but the report has been kept confidential until the chemical and pathology examination," said a source in the medico-legal section of the hospital.



On the other hand, the Rangers have refuted allegations that Mehboob died in their custody. The spokesperson for the paramilitary force said that he was arrested based on reports of his involvement in criminal activities. The accused was sent for 90 days preventive detention by the ATC in Central Jail on April 16 after completing all legal formalities for further investigation. He was handed over to the Central Jail, Karachi, on the same day. "It is clarified that he did not die in the Rangers' custody. He died in Central Jail, Karachi," said the spokesperson. Prisons IG Nusrat Mangan and Central Jail, Karachi, superintendent Nazeer Shah refused to comment.

Protests

Scores of party workers and supporters staged a protest against the incident and demanded the registration of an FIR against the relevant authorities. Moving scenes were witnessed outside his residence and at the Edhi morgue, where the body was kept. Party workers spoke in whispers about what they believed to be the true cause of death and about the future course of action. "The doctors are liars. He did not die of a heart attack. He was subjected to 'third-degree torture'," said a teary-eyed worker, outside the Edhi morgue. "We would register an FIR against the responsible persons but it is not an easy job because they are powerful."

The workers also seemed unhappy with their own party. "What did our party do when he (Mehboob) was in custody?" asked another worker. "It was our fault. We should have taken the matter into our hands from the first day. We should not rely on our leaders."

Routine and commercial activities were partially suspended in the area following the mysterious death of the SIC leader. A large contingent of police was deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, Sunni Tehreek leader Sarwat Aijaz Qadri has called for a thorough investigation into Mehboob's custodial death. "The provincial government should conduct an inquiry to ascertain how Mehboob died in custody and whether he was in jail or in the Rangers' custody at the time of death," said Qadri, while talking to the media in Hyderabad on Saturday.

He said that a semi-martial law appeared to be in place in Pakistan as political parties had either lost credibility or were supporting terrorists. The ST leader expressed hope that complete peace would be restored in Karachi within the next three months thanks to the ongoing security operation in the metropolis. "2015 will be remembered as a year when peace was restored in Karachi."

The SIC has announced a three-day mourning period.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2015.