Fahad Malik’s murder: Prime suspect gets bail from Multan

Arshad Mehmood directed to approach Islamabad sessions court by Aug 30

ISLAMABAD: Arshad Mehmood, the prime suspect in the Fahad Malik murder case, on Wednesday obtained protective bail till August 30 from the Lahore High Court Multan bench.

The Shalimar police had booked Mehmood, Noman Khokhar, and eight unidentified persons after Fahad was gunned down in F-10/3 in the wee hours of August 15. Malik Tariq Ayub, Fahad’s uncle, was also injured in the attack, which took place near the police station.

Mehmood appeared before the LHC Multan bench along with his lawyer Imran Feroze Malik on Wednesday, and, apprehending he could be arrested before even approaching a sessions court in Islamabad, sought protective interim bail.

Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi of the LHC Multan bench accepted the plea and granted Mehmood protective bail till August 30. The court has directed Mehmood to approach the Islamabad sessions court by August 30. The protective bail shall automatically lapse at 4pm on August 30.

Mehmood is the prime suspect as according to the FIR, he fired the shots that killed Malik.

On Wednesday, Noman Khokhar, the other nominated suspect in the case, obtained interim pre-arrest bail from a sessions court in Islamabad till August 27.

In an application submitted to the police, Tariq maintained that he was injured by a bullet fired by Khokhar while Fahad was shot at by Mehmood. Police had booked the two along with eight unknown persons for murder, attempted murder and rioting.

Police have made no arrests in the case yet.

Shalimar SHO inspector Zulfiqar Ali was suspended within hours of the incident. His replacement, Inspector Fayaz Ranjha, has also failed to arrest any suspects.

Meanwhile, no headway has been made in the murder of a trader who was shot dead in the I-11 Fruit and Vegetable Market, a few hundred metres from Sabzi Mandi Police Station.

Muhammad Yaqoob, the victim, was a tomato and onion trader in the marketplace.

Sabzi Mandi SHO Inspector Arshad Ali told The Express Tribune on Thursday that two Afghan nationals had been booked for the murder.

He also admitted that no arrests had been made. The SHO said that the victim had done business with the suspects in the past and that a financial dispute was the motive behind the killing.

Murders have been on the rise in the capital in recent months, with a total of 27 persons killed between May and July.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2016.