Prime suspects in Balaj murder declared proclaimed offenders

Police initiate steps for red warrants

LAHORE:

Prime suspects Khawaja Tareef alias Teefi Butt and Khawaja Aqeel alias Gogi Butt in the Ameer Balaj murder case have been declared proclaimed offenders (POs).

They had evaded arrest for the past one-and-a-half month.

According to police sources, it is suspected that Teefi has fled abroad and Gogi is hiding in the county.

According to Organised Crime Unit (OCU) DIG Imran Kishwar, the police have initiated the procedure to get red warrants issued through the interior minister against the suspects after declaring them proclaimed offenders.

The warrants help bring back the accused to the country from abroad with the help of the International Police.

Ameer Balaj Tipu was attending a marriage ceremony in a housing society last month when he was shot dead by a suspected shooter later identified as Muzzafar Hussain, an old gunman of Teefi Butt, over a 30-year-old enmity.

Muzzafar was shot dead instantly after the murder.

Teefi and Gogi were nominated in FIR lodged by Ameer Moasab, the younger brother of Balaj.

The sources said the investigations so far pointed at Teefi as the main character in masterminding and executing the murder.

A close friend, Ahsan, was arrested for spying and surveillance of Ameer Balaj for Teefi to facilitate his murder over a promise of Rs50 million. He had received the amount. Ahsan was sent in remand.

DIG Imran Kishwar said the investigations so far had indicated that Teefi was the prime suspect.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2024.