PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: Days after a video of alleged Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) target killer, Yousuf alias Theylaywala, raised a storm regarding his claims about meeting Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) tendered an apology and surrendered the services of East SSP Ghulam Azfar Mahesar to the Establishment division, Islamabad, over serious "misconduct" in this case.
According to police officials, during the closed-door meeting held at the Chief Minister House on Monday, IGP Dr Syed Kaleem Imam and Karachi police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon admitted to the negligence of their personnel, from whose custody a video of the alleged target killer was released in which he had confessed to having met the incumbent CM. The inquiry committee headed by East DIG Amir Farooq also termed it negligence on the part of the police, adding that it was an internal "loophole" within the police, due to which the video with the fake statement about CM was released.
Soon after the meeting at the CM House, the IG office issued a notification, requesting the chief secretary to send Mahesar packing as his services were no more required to the Sindh police.
Committee set up to probe into video of MQM ‘target killer’
Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that action would also be taken against more police personnel working in District East. "The chief minister and even the Rangers personnel were annoyed over the fake statement of the terrorist, who has never met the CM," said a senior police official, who attended the meeting on Monday. "It seems the video was pre-planned and the East SSP, who heads the police in the district, has been held responsible for it," said the official, who asked not to be named.
The meeting was attended by the Sindh Police chief, Karachi Police chief, inquiry team head East DIG and the Sindh government's spokesperson, Murtaza Wahab, among others.
The video
On November 20, SSP Ghulam Azfar Mahesar had announced in a press conference that the police had arrested a serial target killer, Theylawala, who according to them was involved in the killing of around 96 people, including two army personnel.
Soldier Bazaar Police deny involvement in Thelaywala’s arrest
Police said that the terrorist, who was affiliated with the MQM, was an active member of a 43-member gang of target killers. "He himself killed around 30 people and assisted other terrorists in murdering around 66 innocent people in Karachi. He gained the nickname Thelaywala because he used to chop the bodies of people and shift the same on a pushcart," the SSP had said. Reports pouring in from various sources also suggested that Thelaywala was also arrested by the Rangers in August 2017. Ever since there has been no clue about his whereabouts.
Transfers
Meanwhile, the Sindh Police have appointed Tanveer Alam Odho as East SSP. The notification issued by the IG office also states that Fida Husain Janwari, who was presently working as Anti Violent Crime Cell SSP, has been posted with immediate effect as West SSP. While SSP Shoukat Ali Khatian has been relieved from the post of West SSP and posted as principal of the police training center Razzaqabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2019.
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