Criminals’ sheltering case: IO says lack of resources hampering investigation

ATC re-issues arrest warrants against four suspects who evaded arrest during Nine Zero raid

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) expressed concern on Friday over the police's inability - stemming from alleged lack of resources - to track down four suspects wanted in a high-profile case for over a year.

"The police force is in a sorry state," remarked the ATC judge when the investigation officer informed the court that they lacked resources to arrest the absconding accused in the case of sheltering 'criminals' at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's headquarters, Nine Zero.

The Rangers had picked up MQM leader Amir Khan and 60 others during a pre-dawn raid at Nine Zero, Azizabad on March 11, 2015. They were kept under 90-day preventive detention for interrogation by the paramilitary force. Later, Khan was released on bail while Nine Zero's security in-charge, Minhaj Qazi, was declared an absconder.

Four suspects - Raees alias Mama, Ejaz alias Mullah, Naeemullah and Shehzad- are absconding in the case as they somehow evaded arrest during the raid.

On Friday, when the case was fixed before the ATC, the investigation officer (IO) informed the court that the absconding co-accused, Qazi, had been tracked down but was being interrogated in other cases.

The officer said the accused could not be produced in court as he was currently undergoing interrogation in prison.

The judge inquired from the IO about the other fleeing suspects, including Raees, Ejaz, Naeemullah and Shehzad. The officer said he was unable to arrest them since the force lacks resources which hinder police performance.

Expressing concern over the sorry state of the police's investigation wing, the judge ordered the prison authorities to produce Qazi in court on June 10.

Meanwhile, it also re-issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of the remaining four suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2016.