Case registered against Rangers’ official for killing a man

Rangers initiate inquiry while family demands capital punishment for the accused.

KARACHI: The police have registered a case against the Rangers’ personnel responsible for killing 22-year-old Ghulam Haider in Shah Faisal Colony on Tuesday but the alleged killer has yet to be handed over to the police for investigation into the case.

The newly wed was shot dead while on his way back from a hospital in Korangi where he had taken his cousin for dialysis. According to initial reports, the Rangers’ official opened fire when Haider did not stop his car after being signaled to do so.

Following the incident, the police registered the case against six Rangers personnel who were at the site when the killing took place, on behalf of the victim’s companion in the car, Abdul Salam. According to the Station Investigation Officer (SIO) Ayaz Shah, the Rangers have suspended the personnel who killed the young man and also detained him after initiating an internal inquiry.



In reply to a question, he said that the police have written a letter to the Rangers to hand over the suspect for investigation.

District East Police Chief DIG Captain (retd) Tahir Naveed told The Express Tribune that only one Rangers’ official was involved in the firing and that a proper inquiry would be conducted against him. He will also be produced before the court and a charge sheet will be prepared against him, said DIG Naveed.

Gone too soon

Ghulam Haider, a resident of Salay Mohammad Ronja Goth, was known for doing favours for his family and friends since he had his own cars - in case of emergency, he was the one who would take people to hospitals and wherever else need be.

“He was very helpful. Even when people would call him up in the middle of the night to take them some place, he would never refuse,” said Mohammad Akram, who was in the car with Haider when he was shot. According to him, Haider had an accident with a motorcycle and was following the ambulance which was taking the rider to the hospital when the Rangers’ official shot him from behind.

The deceased grew jasmines in his garden and would sell them every day to the wholesale market of Teen Hatti. His sudden demise has left the family devastated but with enough rage to fight for justice.

“The Rangers can shower me with bullets like they did to my son but they will never have my forgiveness,” said a teary Asma. “My son was innocent. Why was he killed?”

Haider had been married for less than a month, his small room still bearing traces of his wedding with initials of the bride and groom glued on the wall. “He [Haider] left me alone. Had I known that he was going to be killed, I would have never let him go,” said the deceased’s wife, Shireen. “It is the Rangers’ duty to protect lives, not take them away. They are terrorists in uniforms and we want justice for their actions.”

Men of the family, who belong to a Baloch tribal family, said that they would seek blood for blood and unlike Sarfraz Shah’s family, would never settle or forgive. “We want the murderer to be hanged and we will make pursue every means to make that happens,” said Akram.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2013.