Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials claimed on Monday to have arrested two more suspects involved in the attack on a cleric, Mufti Abdullah, confiscating weapons and a motorcycle from their possession.
At a press conference on the day, CTD DIG Omer Shahid Hamid stated that the arrested suspects, identified as Haris alias Farhan alias Langra and Abu Sufiyan, had been arrested on the basis of information provided by Mudassar Javed, who had been arrested at the scene of the crime. Haris had allegedly accompanied Javed on the day but managed to escape the spot.
According to Hamid, the suspects were associated with Lyari-based gangster Zahid Shooter, who was residing in the United Arab Emirates and allegedly worked for an Indian intelligence agency. He claimed they used to attack people identified by the agency in order to incite sectarian violence in the city, further alleging that the attack injuring Abdullah was part of the agency's agenda.
He further said the culprits were paid Rs300,000 to kill Abdullah, though the cleric escaped with injuries. The money and weapons were also provided to the assailants by persons using a motorcycle similar to those used by an online food delivery service, he added.
"Mufti Abdullah was a soft target and the arrested suspect initially tried to misguide the police, claiming the incident was the outcome of a monetary dispute," he said.
Moreover, he said, the suspects had also attacked Dr Tabraiz at Jigar Murad Abadi Road in June, opened fire on a rival gang's members in Pak Colony in July, attacked citizens in Kharadar for extortion and carried out surveillance of a builder for Zahid later the same month.
Other criminal activities carried out by the suspects included the abduction and murder of a citizen in New Karachi, an attack on a citizen in Lasbella and recce of Mufti Abdullah's partner Maulana Sohail as well as a citizen in Federal B, he added.
"More people are on their hit-list and they [the targets] have been warned about the threat," elaborated the DIG, adding that the investigation for the murder of another prominent cleric, Maulana Adil Khan, was also underway.
According to him, Haris was running a gang in the city with the assistance of Zahid and another person, which comprised individuals from Lyari, Garden, Soldier Bazaar, Patel Para, Purana Golimar and Pak Colony.
DIG Shahid also told the media that the police had decided to investigate all online delivery services, which would have to submit relevant details and records to the law enforcers.
Abdullah was shot and injured in the jurisdiction of Jamshed Quarters police station on October 31. Javed was arrested on the spot, while Haris had managed to escape.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2020.
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