KESC security chief’s murder: Investigators consider ‘militant’ hand in the killing

Witnesses have failed to identify even the clothes of the culprits.

KARACHI:

Investigators looking into the murder of a retired colonel, who was the security chief for the Karachi Electric Supply Company, have suspected the involvement of militant groups, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The law enforcement agencies have started the investigation by tracing the victim’s calls and going through his SMS records and those of his employees. Colonel (retired) Mohammad Ali Saqi, 60, was shot dead outside the Mahi Nursery near check post No. 6 in Malir Cantonment on June 5. Detective SI Tahir Javed told The Express Tribune that Saqi had no personal enemies and that he was not killed while resisting a robbery either.

According to officials, the overall situation suggests that he was targeted by militant groups, such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba, who have been making threats.

“It is not necessary that the Taliban were involved directly,” said a senior investigation officer. “It is, however, possible that they asked one of the many organisations working under them to carry out the murder.” The investigators are also seeking the help of police informers to help them locate the culprits and they have detained some suspects for questioning.

“We have yet to find solid evidence that can tell us who killed the colonel and why,” an officer admitted.

SI Javed said that Saqi had recently interrogated some KESC employees over a company dispute but the investigators have been unable to obtain any clues that may suggest that Saqi was killed over a KESC issue.

It appears to be a case of target killing and the possibility that militant outfits are involved in the murder cannot be ruled out, he said.

Sources said that the victim had also served in the country’s top intelligence agency but no official confirmation could be received. “We have no information that Colonel Saqi had served for any intelligence agency,” said SHO Arshad Leghari. “His family is still in shock so we haven’t been able to talk to them in detail. We are waiting for them to recover and then we will ask them more questions.”

So far, the police have found only two witnesses who were working for the victim but they have very limited information — they could not even describe the culprits’ clothes properly.

“The witnesses told us that there were two, well-built men, who were wearing helmets,” SHO Leghari said. “Since it was late night, they could not even see if the men were wearing trousers and a shirt or shalwar kameez, and whether or not they had beards.” The police are trying to make the sketches of the culprits, he added.

The Malir Cantt police have registered FIR No. 96/11 under section 302/34 against two unidentified men on the complaint of the victim’s employee, Mohammad Raza.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2011.