Chinese national's murder: CTD claims to have arrested two suspects

Killing was result of business dispute, not terrorist act, says DIG

KARACHI: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Monday to have made a breakthrough in the case of the targeted killing of a Chinese national in Karachi three months ago by arresting two suspects. The CTD maintained that the killing was not a terrorist act. Instead, it was the result of a business dispute.

The arrests were disclosed during a press conference held by CTD DIG Saqib Ismail Memon who was flanked by CTD Incharge Raja Omar Khattab at the department's office on Monday.

"The two suspects, Saqib Ahmed and Rehan Hashim, were arrested in Hyderabad on May 5," revealed DIG Memon. "Saqib is the son of the owner of a company [where the Chinese national had been employed], whereas Rehan Hashim is an employee at the company."

DIG Memon informed the media that it was unearthed during investigations that a dispute between Pakistani partners of the company and the Chinese national, Chen Zhu, 46, was the reason behind his killing.



The deceased had been serving as the managing director (MD) of the private company, Cosco Shipping, since February 2017. "This is a private company and it had no link with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor," the DIG explained.

"The deceased MD was an honest person and his posting in Pakistan was made by the Chinese government. He made many changes in the company after assuming [the office of company's] MD. He fired additional staff, investigated corruption in the company and implemented rules and regulations, causing a severe loss to the Pakistani partners of the company who had around 30% shares in the company," the officer said.



"The dispute worsened when the deceased MD fired three children of a Pakistani partner as per the company's rules and regulations," DIG Memon said, adding that the Pakistani partners of the company and former employees apparently hatched a plan to have Zhu killed by paid thugs.

The officer informed the media that contradictions in the statements of the owners and employees of the company suggested that a business dispute could be the reason for the murder. After collecting evidence, the CTD police nominated Ahmed and Hashim in the FIR on February 22, after which they went into hiding.



A joint investigation team will be constituted to inquire into the matter, DIG Memon said.

The CTD has also released closed-circuit television footage of the incident in which firing on a car of two Chinese nationals can be seen. The killing took place near Zamzama Park in Clifton on February 5. The other Chinese national in the car, Ye Fan, survived the attack.

A reward of Rs2 million was announced for those who would help police trace the killer who could be seen in footage.