Police partially responsible for PPP MPA’s murder, says senator

PPP's Shahnaz Ansari was shot dead after previously receiving threats

HYDERABAD: Slain MPA Shahnaz Ansari was laid to rest in Naushero Feroze district on Sunday, while her killer remained at large. Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party leaders slammed the police for failing to provide her with security, holding the law enforcers partly responsible for the murder.

Elected representatives from the PPP and other political parties, local notables and government officials attended the funeral prayers, which were offered at Madrasa High School.

Ansari, who was allegedly shot by a relative in Ali Murad Khokhar village on Saturday, was later buried in Syed Ismail Shah Graveyard.

Naushero Feroze police have reportedly detained 10 family members of the suspect, Waqar Khokhar, including his father Akhtar and sister Salma. Waqar had allegedly opened fire at Ansari when she was visiting the village for the chehlum of her brother-in-law, Zahid Hussain Khokhar. She was injured and later succumbed to her injuries in Peoples Medical University Hospital, Nawabshah.

'Conspiracy'

Talking to the media, Senator Aajiz Dhamrah of the PPP claimed that Ansari's murder was political.

He held Sindh Inspector General of Police Dr Kaleem Imam (IGP) and his police officials partly responsible for the MPA's death, stating that they did not provide her security even after she had informed them that she was receiving death threats. He alleged that Imam had indulged in politics along with the coalition partners of the federal government.

The senator also blamed the federal government for considering Sindh a 'colony' of the Centre and making the PPP's provincial government helpless before the IGP.

The PPP's Ziaul Hassan Lanjar further said that it appeared the Sindh police was not under the control of the provincial government, resulting in such incidents.

No letter, says SSP

Meanwhile, talking to the media, SSP Farooq Ahmed denied receiving any letter from the slain MPA regarding threats to her life from Akhtar, his sons and brothers. "The MPA had communicated some problems verbally and the police did take action," he claimed.

Days before her murder, Ansari had reportedly written a letter to the deputy commissioner and SSP of Naushero Feroze district, asking for protection for herself, her widowed sister and her children.

Ansari's brother, Altaf Khokhar, and her husband, Dr Hameed Ansari, also blamed the police for failing to provide adequate security after she had submitted the letter.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2020.