Aftab Qureshi killing: Judicial inquiry report holds CPLC and AVCC responsible

Judge Khakheli concludes inquiry, points out negligence during the raid

HYDERABAD: After conducting an inquiry for over five months, additional judge Aijaz Khakheli declared that the Citizen Police Liaison Committee and Anti Violent Crime Cell of Karachi were responsible for the killing of neurosurgeon Dr Aftab Qureshi,

The judicial inquiry started on June 25, around a month after the botched raid by CPLC and AVCC in Hyderabad to rescue Qureshi. Besides the neurosurgeon, an AVCC assistant sub inspector Rashid Ali and a suspected kidnapper Younus Siyal were also killed in the ill-planned operation  on May 30.

“They [CPLC and AVCC] did not take necessary measures for safe recovery of the hostage,” said the inquiry report. Qureshi was abducted from Karachi on May 12. The raid at the bungalow in a residential colony in Hyderabad was conducted without even informing the Hyderabad police, the inquiry noted.

The CPLC chief Ahmed Chinoy, however, stands exonerated from the responsibility of leading the operation as his deputy, Najeeb Danewala, deposed before the inquiry that he was in charge. SP Noorul Haq Rind, who led the AVCC in the raid, also seconded Danewala’s claim in his testimony. “He [Danewala] is the person who was commanding the rescue operation,” the judge observed quoting his statement. He added that Danewala “nowhere mentioned what expertise he has in the field and what precautionary measures were taken.”



Earlier, Chinoy, who was present at the site of the operation, had told the media that he was leading the raid.

Flaws in operation

The report also shows that the AVCC, despite its operational capacity to lead in such situations, took the back seat and followed CPLC’s directions. “There was no effort put in by SP Rind though he was a senior police officer,” says the report.

The judge expressed surprise that Rind, a police officer, did not bother to engage the local police. Judge said that during his testimony, the SP was at a loss when asked about what safety measures were taken.

The seven suspected kidnappers arrested by the police have been incriminated in the report. The suspects include Ashok Kumar, Farooq Ahmed Laghari and Azhar Ali Solangi. An earlier investigation by the Crime Branch also named Daud Gishkori, Akhtar Siyal, Bhai Jan and Zain Jathyal as part of the kidnapping team. But, they are still at large.

The inquiry report has now been handed over to the Home Ministry for further action.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2012.