Police arrest suspect wanted for murder of cop’s sister-in-law

Law enforcers say suspect was a close accomplice of Saulat Mirza and affiliated with MQM-L

KARACHI: Police claim to have arrested the prime suspect and an alleged facilitator involved in the murder of a woman during a robbery bid at a house in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. The victim, a doctor by profession, was visiting from Canada, and was the sister-in-law of SHO Sarwar Commando, under whose jurisdiction the area falls.

Addressing a press conference at his office on Tuesday, East Zone SSP Ghulam Azfar Mahesar, said that four unidentified armed robbers entered house No. B-75 in Gulistan-e-Jauhar on the morning of August 26 with the intention of robbing the house. The suspects had arrived in a Honda Civic, bearing the registration no. AWP-747. As the suspects entered the house, the inhabitants started screaming and putting up resistance, on which the suspects opened fire.

Complainant Shehzadur Rehman’s brother, Sohailur Rehman and his son Munibur Rehman also opened fire at the suspects from a balcony on the upper storey of the house. Under heavy fire, the suspects were forced to flee, leaving behind their car.

During the exchange of fire Aisha, 40, wife of Shehzadur Rehman, who was visiting Pakistan to attend a wedding, was injured by the suspects’ firing. She was immediately shifted to the hospital, but succumbed to her wounds.

According to SSP Mahesar, police found a Kalashnikov, a pistol, a mobile phone, wallets, two police caps, the genuine registration plate of the car and other items from the car left behind by the accused. Investigators arrested the prime suspect, Faisal alias Kala, son of Abul Hassan, from a private clinic in Nazimabad after seven days.

The SSP said that Faisal had received burns injuries while starting a fire in his own house, which is why he was being treated a private clinic. According to police, Faisal was a close accomplice of Saulat Mirza - the Muttahida Qaumi Movement target killer who was hanged to death. The suspect, currently in police custody, is wanted in 150 criminal cases and has been arrested multiple times during incidents of robbery, police encounters and murder.

Three of Faisal’s accomplices, including Azmat, Anwar alias Grenade and Rehmat are on the run and police are conducting raids to apprehend them. Police officials said that the suspects are affiliated with the MQM-London, adding that Azmat has also served a 14-year prison sentence after he was convicted of murder. Meanwhile, accused Anwar alias Grenade is also accused in an extortion case pertaining to the MQM.

Faisal, Anwar and Rehmat are brothers and the arrested facilitator is their fourth brother. The latter wasn’t directly involved in the robbery but the suspects had used a sim card registered in his name during the robbery.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2019.