Caught red-handed: Afghan assassin held in Peshawar
Police say hit man was hired to kill an Afghan businessman.
PESHAWAR:
Peshawar police on Tuesday arrested an Afghan assassin, who was allegedly hired to kill an Afghanistan-based businessman in the provincial capital on Monday night.
Addressing a press conference at the East Cantonment police station on Tuesday, Deputy superintendent of police Sahibzada Sajjad Khan, accompanied by Station House Officer Kamal Hussain Tori, said that an Afghan businessman, Muhammad Jan, had been seriously wounded in a failed assassination bid in Jalalabad, Afghanistan nearly a week ago.
“Since health facilities are scant in the neighbouring country, the injured businessman was shifted to Peshawar for treatment after being provided initial medical aid across the border,” Khan said, adding that Peshawar police had been informed of threats to Jan’s life after he was admitted to a private hospital in the provincial capital.
“We were informed by the relatives of the businessman that his life was at stake and he could be killed at any time,” Khan said, adding that special security arrangements were made to protect the Afghan businessman.
“Last night the assassin tried to reach his target. However, our men in plainclothes were on alert and they immediately arrested the man, who has been identified as Sher Muhammad alias Sheray, a resident of Jalalabad,” Khan added.
The official said a pistol fitted with a silencer had also been seized from the assassin’s possession, adding that the man is believed to a professional hit man since he breached some security checkpoints before being arrested.
“We are thoroughly probing the matter and an FIR has been registered against the man on the complaint of Muhammad Jan’s brother,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2012.
Peshawar police on Tuesday arrested an Afghan assassin, who was allegedly hired to kill an Afghanistan-based businessman in the provincial capital on Monday night.
Addressing a press conference at the East Cantonment police station on Tuesday, Deputy superintendent of police Sahibzada Sajjad Khan, accompanied by Station House Officer Kamal Hussain Tori, said that an Afghan businessman, Muhammad Jan, had been seriously wounded in a failed assassination bid in Jalalabad, Afghanistan nearly a week ago.
“Since health facilities are scant in the neighbouring country, the injured businessman was shifted to Peshawar for treatment after being provided initial medical aid across the border,” Khan said, adding that Peshawar police had been informed of threats to Jan’s life after he was admitted to a private hospital in the provincial capital.
“We were informed by the relatives of the businessman that his life was at stake and he could be killed at any time,” Khan said, adding that special security arrangements were made to protect the Afghan businessman.
“Last night the assassin tried to reach his target. However, our men in plainclothes were on alert and they immediately arrested the man, who has been identified as Sher Muhammad alias Sheray, a resident of Jalalabad,” Khan added.
The official said a pistol fitted with a silencer had also been seized from the assassin’s possession, adding that the man is believed to a professional hit man since he breached some security checkpoints before being arrested.
“We are thoroughly probing the matter and an FIR has been registered against the man on the complaint of Muhammad Jan’s brother,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2012.