‘Target killer’ arrested: Accused confessed to 12 murders, says CID

Alleged Sipah-e-Mohammad Pakistan member killed activists of rival groups.

KARACHI:

The Anti-Extremism Cell (AEC) and the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) of the Sindh police’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) claimed on Sunday to have solved eight cases of target killings. In a joint press conference held at the Garden CID office by AEC chief SSP Chaudhry Aslam Khan and CTU chief SSP Omar Shahid, the arrest of an alleged target killer, Muntazir Imam, was disclosed.

Officials said that Imam confessed to the killings of 12 people including leaders of outlawed sectarian groups in eight separate cases across the city since 2009. Imam was taken into custody last week.

SSP Shahid said they arrested Imam from Gulshan-e-Iqbal after a tip-off. One hand grenade, one 222 rifle, one 9mm pistol and two TT pistols were seized from his possession.

“The accused is affiliated with the outlawed Sipah-e-Mohammad Pakistan,” he revealed. During the initial interrogation, Imam told investigators that he, along with his companions, killed many leaders and activists of their rival groups, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. The SSP leaders killed by the accused include Maulana Ghafoor Nadeem and his young son, Mavia, who were killed while on their way to court in Nazimabad on March 11, 2010, Shafi Alvi and Engineer Ilyas Zubair who were killed in Jamshed Quarter and Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Madni shot dead in New Karachi.

SSP Shahid, quoting the accused, said that all the killings were done on sectarian basis. Meanwhile, SSP Khan provided details of the investigations of the four alleged Sunni Tehreek workers arrested by the Soldier Bazaar police this month. He said that during the investigations the four men confessed to killing at least nine Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers, including a former UC Nazim, Hanif, and one SSP leader, Irshadullah.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2011.