I killed Dr Aleem to take revenge of my insult, key suspect reveals

Deceased’s son had divorced Mian Irfan’s daughter

FAISALABAD: "I killed Dr Mahmood Aleem to take revenge of my insult as his son had divorced my daughter."

"I have no regrets as Dr Aleem and his family had made my daughter’s life miserable, Mian Muhammad Irfan, the key suspect in the murder case disclosed to the police during interrogation."

On July 25, 2017, Professor Dr Mahmood Aleem, a leading gynaecologist and former head of gynae department, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, was shot dead near Akbar Chowk while he was on his way home after attending clinic.



While giving details of the case, Senior Superintendent of Police Rana Muhammad Masoom said the murder case was challenging for the police as the doctors’ community   was protesting against the target killing of their colleague.

“After collecting evidence from the crime scene and acquiring footage of CCTV camera from nearby shops, the police was able to identify the accused,” he said.

He added the police nabbed Mian Muhammad Irfan and his two sons Zain Irfan and Ali Irfan, who confessed to killing Dr Aleem in connivance with their companion Imanullah.

The SSP maintained during interrogation, accused Mian Irfan revealed that his daughter married Aleem’s elder son Hassan Mahmood on January 2, 2017. “My daughter was not happy with the attitude of her husband and in-laws as they tortured and humiliated her,” he told the police.

“I requested Dr Mahmood Aleem several times to stop his son and other family members from torturing my daughter but he took no notice of such complaints. Rather, his son sent a divorce notice to my daughter, which was tantamount to insulting my family in the whole community,” the accused told the investigators."

SSP Rana Masoom pointed out that in a bid to take revenge, accused Mian Irfan and his companion Amanullah decided to kill Dr Mahmood Aleem. “On the day of the incident, Mian Irfan and Amanullah chased Aleem’s car on a motorcycle and when it reached near Akbar Chowk, they opened fire on him and fled the scene,” he said.

He said the murder weapon was also seized from the possession of the accused and a formal case was registered against them in Ghulam Muhammadabad police station. “We have included sections 303, 34 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the FIR,” Rana Masoom elaborated.  The formal challan of the case would be submitted in the court for trial within a week, he said.



While commenting on the situation, Pro-Vice Chancellor University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar said, “This incident is an eye opener for the whole society. It reflects intolerance that is dominating our culture and ruining the fiber of negotiations for resolving social issues.”

He added, “This barbaric act reminds us of social complications regarding the issue of divorce in our society.”

He remarked, “Marriage is a social contract which can be terminated if a couple feels uncomfortable in each other’s company. There is need to create awareness on such matters instead of letting others take law in their own hands.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2017.