Religious scholar’s suspected killers nabbed

The accused confessed to killing him with robbery in mind.

ISLAMABAD:

The city police have arrested two seminary students for the murder of religious scholar Dr Hafiz Abdul Rasheed. The suspects had also stolen jewellery and other valuables from his house in sector I-10/1.

Addressing a press conference on Friday along with Ahle Hadith Central Leader Professor Sajid Mir, Industrial Area SP Ishaq Warraich said that Dr Rasheed was found dead in his home on March 17 and that his son, Hafiz Saad Azhar, lodged a report with Sabzi Mandi Police Station saying he was at university when two persons came to meet his father.

On return from university, his mother told him that Dr Rasheed had been with the guests for a long time. Azhar noticed that their car, a Toyota Vitz, was not outside. Inside the guest room, they saw a black belt around the Islamic scholar’s neck, while his hands and feet were also tied. Jewellery, cash, ATM cards, mobile phones and other items were also missing from the room, an adjacent room and the body.

The police traced the two seminary students, Azhar Azkaar and Ghayasuddin, from the deceased’s cell phone records.

SP Ishaq Warraich said they confessed to killing Dr Rasheed as part of a plan to rob him and also confessed to stealing the goods. They abandoned the stolen car near Bhara Kahu.

Mir ruled out the possibility of any sectarian factor behind the killing. Ahle Hadith Islamabad head Abdul Aziz Hanif and other office bearers were also present at the press conference.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2012.