Officer fighting police promotions struggles to stay alive

Son accuses police officers enjoying such promotions of sending men to kill SP Maqsood.

KARACHI:

Crime Branch SP Malik Maqsood, the man who took out-of-turn promotions in Sindh government to the Supreme Court, is struggling for his life after he came under attack in Lines Area on Friday.

SP Maqsood had left his house in Shah Faisal police quarters and was on his way to court when some men shot him at least four times. Maqsood’s driver was off-duty so he was driving the Toyoto Hilux himself and the security guard was sitting alongside him. Maqsood was on the hit list of some police officials, the family revealed, adding that he often changed his travelling route.

“The armed men were in black and white Toyota Corolla cars,” said his security guard, Abdul Rauf, while talking to The Express Tribune. “The ones in the black car intercepted our vehicle while the ones in the white Corolla opened indiscriminate fire.”

As a result, Maqsood was critically wounded and was rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. According to police surgeon Dr Jalil Qadir, the injured SP was shot at least four times in his head, belly and hands and he was immediately taken to the operation theatre as soon as he arrived. Later, he was shifted to PNS Shifa but his family was planning on moving him to Aga Khan University Hospital for further treatment.

Placing blame

SP Maqsood’s family is convinced that the same policemen, who received the out-of-turn promotions, are involved in the attack. “There are no doubts the same police officials hired criminals and sent them after my father,” said Malik Faisal, Maqsood’s young son. “They proved that they are not police officials but they are a ‘mafia’. They have strong links with terrorists in the city and can do anything with anyone at anytime.” Apart from policemen, there are several employees of the Sindh government who may have been affected by the cases Maqsood was pursuing in court.



Maqsood had even asked the police to give him a proper security squad since he was receiving threats from rival officers. “My father already applied for extra security,” Malik Kashif, his elder son, explained. “The IGP agreed but he never received any proper squad.”

Maqsood had challenged his seniors, including SSP Farooq Awan, SP Khurram Waris, SSP Fayyaz Khan, SSP Raja Umer Khattab, SP Mazhar Mashwani, CID SSP Chaudhry Aslam and others in court when he filed a petition against out-of-turn promotions, shoulder promotions, deputations and absorptions.

Investigations

A large number of law enforcers reached the site to collect evidence. The police officials also collected empty shells of the pistols used in the attack and they will be sent to the forensic division of Sindh police. Police investigators say that they would also try to get the CCTV footages installed en-route to identify the culprits.

“It seems that it was not the warning but the culprits wanted to kill him,” said ASP Rana Shoaib, referring to the indiscriminate firing. “The culprits faced resistance due to retaliatory firing by the SP’s gunman.” ASP Shoaib further said that the investigations were at the preliminary level and they cannot say much about the culprits or the mastermind behind this incident. The police were also waiting for the family to register the case. “To probe the case, it would be easy for us if the family nominates someone in the FIR,” the officer explained.

Another police officer, DSP Mohammad Sarwar alias Sarwar Commando has also asked the IGP to provide security as he is also fighting the case against out-of-turn promotions. He told the IGP that his previous security was also withdrawn.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2013.