JIT in Intizar Ahmed case likely to conclude on Monday

The team was constituted to investigate the murder of 19-year-old Intizar Ahmed on Jan 13

KARACHI: The joint interrogation team (JIT) constituted to investigate the murder of Intizar Ahmed in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) is likely to conclude on Monday.

A second session of the JIT, chaired by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) additional IG, was held on Friday where Ishtiaq Ahmed, the father of the deceased boy, former Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) SSP Muquddus Haider and the deceased's friend Madiha Kayani were also present.

"I was called for today's in-camera session," said Ishtiaq. "The JIT chief assured me of justice." He said that he has had already shown his reservations over the case to the JIT members in the first session while the officials has told him that they will give him the final update on the case on Monday.

The JIT members said that they have also recorded the statements of SSP Haider, Madiha and all the people related to the case, adding that the JIT of the case has almost reached its conclusion. They revealed that they are looking into the possible involvement of DSP Amir Hameed in the case.



Earlier, during the first session of the JIT held on February 19, the father of the deceased had informed the JIT that Criminal Investigation Agency DSP Hameed could have been behind the incident as his niece, Mahrukh Sohail, had a close friendship with his son. Ishtiaq explained that while SSP Haider and Madiha were party to the crime, DSP Hameed was directly involved in the murder.

The provincial home department had formally constituted a JIT to investigate Intizar’s murder by personnel of the Sindh police's ACLC.  The JIT was formed last Monday following an order issued by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah after he met Ishtiaq. Before the formation of the JIT on February 12, another JIT had been investigating the murder for some time. However, some members of the team raised questions on the legality of the team, as it had not been formed by the home department, which has the legal authority to form JITs.

The new JIT is being headed by CTD Additional IG Sanaullah Abbasi, while South police chief DIG Azad Khan and one representative each from the Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Rangers and Sindh police's Special Branch are part of the JIT.

Nineteen-year-old Intizar, who had arrived from Malaysia where he was studying, was shot dead in Defence on January 13 by officials and personnel of the ACLC, a specialised unit of the Sindh police. Initially, the police termed the incident an act of targeted killing. However, it was later revealed that Intizar had been shot dead by an ACLC team that comprised at least nine members, including two inspector-ranked officers and two personal security guards of then ACLC chief SSP Haider. All nine cops were later arrested and SSP Haider removed from his post. He was also included in the investigations following allegations made against him by Intizar's father.



Initially, South Investigations SP Farooq Awan was appointed as the investigation officer (IO). However, the Sindh IG later appointed CTD DIG Amir Farooqui as the IO, who found that the ACLC cops were involved in the murder. DIG Farooqi also formed a JIT headed by CTD SSP Pervez Chandio.