JIT to interrogate suspects arrested in Sabri’s murder

Judge remands accused into police custody till November 22

KARACHI: The provincial home department constituted a joint interrogation team (JIT) to interrogate the suspects arrested in connection with the murder of qawwal Amjad Sabri and other high-profile cases of terrorism.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, flanked by Sindh IG Allah Dino Khawaja, had announced the apprehensions of the two alleged Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) Naeem Bukhari group militants, identified as Asim alias Capri and Ishaq alias Bobby, during a press conference on Monday. The suspects were arrested by the counter-terrorism department (CTD) from a flat during a raid in Liaquatabad, while explosive material and unlicensed weapons were also found in their possession.

“On the recommendation of Sindh IG, a JIT is constituted for the interrogation [of the suspects] for their involvement in high-profile cases, including incidents of terrorism, murders of army, Rangers and police personnel in Karachi,” said the statement, which was issued by the home department on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the JIT will be headed by the CTD Intelligence SSP Omar Shahid Hamid, while the representatives of Sindh police special branch, Rangers, Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau will be its members. The JIT will investigate the matter within seven days and submit the report to the department within two days from the date of completion of interrogation, said the statement.

Besides Sabri’s murder case, the suspects are accused of being involved in 27 high-profile cases of terrorism and in the recent sectarian targeted killings and violence in the city.

Suspects remanded into police custody

The anti-terrorism courts’ (ATC) administrative judge remanded on Tuesday the suspected militants into police custody in illicit weapons and explosives cases.

The CTD produced the suspects before the administrative judge and submitted that explosive material and unlicensed weapons were found in their possession when they were arrested during the raid. The investigation officer (IO) sought their custody in one explosive and three illicit weapons cases for questioning through a JIT constituted by the home department.

The administrative judge sent the suspects in police custody on physical remand till November 22 and sought a progress report on the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2016.