Journalist’s murder : Alleged target killer says he is being framed

Geo TV news reporter Wali Khan Babar's alleged killer says he had no reason to murder him.

KARACHI: An alleged target killer accused the authorities of trying to frame him in the murder case of Geo TV news reporter Wali Khan Babar.

Syed Mudassir Hussain alias Mudassir Chief alias Langra denied that he was connected with a defunct religious extremist group or any ethnic party. He was talking to the media at City Courts complex on Saturday.

Mudassir said that the murder of Wali Khan Babar has highlighted the problems of the common man on the electronic media. “He [Babar] was a good man, a gentle soul and one of us. I had no reason to kill him,” he said. He claimed that the police were under pressure from higher officials to solve this case and that is why he was being “framed”.

Earlier, Mudassir along with co-accused Atif, Murtaza alias Murtu, and Shahab were produced before the judicial magistrate east, Zabeeha Khattak, who perused the remand papers and handed him over to the physical custody of Gulistan-e-Jauhar police till January 29.

The accused were allegedly arrested by the Pakistan Rangers from the Super Highway two days ago. According to the remand papers, the men are involved in the murder cases of Ghani Khan and Saleem Khan alias Danger in Pehlwan Goth, Malir. Mudassir and his slain brother are also alleged to be involved in the narcotics business in Pehlwan Goth.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2011.