Sindh police arrest target killer responsible for 42 murders

KARACHI: Bahadurabad Police claimed to have arrested an alleged target killer, affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's London faction and involved in the killings of 42 people. The arrested suspect, according to the police, is a government employee and had allegedly been involved in the killings of police personnel, excise officials, an education director and members of both his own and rival political parties.

Details of the arrest were revealed by East Zone SSP Ghulam Azfar Mahesar during a press conference at his office on Sunday. According to the SSP, Bahadurabad Police had arrested the suspect, identified as Sajid alias Chota Bona, in a raid on Sharae Faisal and seized a 9mm pistol as well as stolen motorcycle from his possession.

SSP Mahesar said that the suspect was affiliated with the MQM-London's Jamshed Town Sector and was an employee of the Sindh Department of Health. The suspect had confessed to his involvement in 42 targeted killings, starting from his first murder of a policeman, Nabi Buksh in 1995. The cop, said the SSP quoting Sajid, had been killed over suspicions of being a spy. He added that Sajid had killed another police official, Noorul Haq, for misbehaving with his accomplice, Saleem Tension's wife, excise police officials on his handler's orders and Education Director Shamim Khan for refusing to transfer staff as told.

When the records were checked after the accused's statement, all the FIRs of murders and attempts to murder were found to be registered in the police stations of Jamshed Quarters and PIB Colony.

The SSP said that the arrested suspect was considered a symbol of terror in the area of Jamshed Quarters and PIB Colony. He added that Sajid was an extremely ruthless murderer and would escape with the help of religious missionary groups each time the law enforcers got close to apprehending him.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2019.