Family giving up hope as SITE killing of industrialist’s son hits dead end

Police rule out neighbourhood gang but know little else.

KARACHI:

“Rat gai bat gaye,” is the dejected response from the family of 22-year-old Waqas Mundia who was gunned down a little over three weeks ago outside his father’s factory in SITE, in a case that became the last straw for a terrorised business community.

“All the promises and assurances [that the government and police would] arrest and punish the culprits have gone unfulfilled,” said his uncle Hanif while talking to The Express Tribune. “Waqas comes to my mind whenever my mobile phone rings and I think that police is calling me to tell me they have caught them.”

As the Chehlum or day of special prayers marking the 40th day from his death approaches, the family’s hope dims. “It is not about why he was killed any more,” explained Hanif. “We [just] want the arrests.”

Waqas was the son of Sikander Mundia, who runs a private export textile factory. He was shot dead on February 21 near Habib Bank Chowrangi while in his car with a friend from the factory, Ali. According to Ali, he could not recognise the attackers as it was too dark but he did see four men on two motorcycles, who opened fire at the car when Waqas did not stop.

The killing created an uproar among the city’s business tycoons who had already been after the government to provide more protection in SITE which has about 3,000 factories. The industrial trading estate has been plagued by extortion, car snatchings, robberies, and kidnappings. Upon Waqas’ killing, its unions warned the government they would go on strike. This was postponed when assurances poured in from top government officials, especially Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza. And action was taken.

“We are satisfied with the current law and order situation,” said former SITE association president Zubair Motiwala. “The law and order situation is now much acceptable as there are more pickets, patrolling, snap checking.” There are no plans to go on strike but factory owners are unhappy there has been no progress in Waqas’ case.

The police high command transferred the investigation to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) in the light of the case’s sensitivity and that it was a ‘blind’ murder. “He was not killed over a personal enmity. He was not killed over extortion or kidnapping for ransom. It was not a target killing or car snatching,” said SIU chief SSP Raja Omer Khattab. “But apparently, the criminals wanted to loot him and killed him as he did not stop the car.” The police have taken into account that the car had tinted windows, which casts a shadow over the theory that Waqas was specifically targeted. The car was attacked in an alleyway and not on the main road, which is where snatchings take place. Car snatchers avoid congested alleyways. Furthermore, only one shot was fired and not multiple ones.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has gone after the case as well. “My department and the CID too, detained and questioned over one dozen suspects but they were not found involved,” Khattab explained. “Apparently, the street crime group of the area was not involved which means that any street gang from Banaras area could be behind the killing.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2011.