Murder mystery: Twin cities’ transport union head laid to rest

Sultan Awan was shot dead in Rawalpindi’s Harley Street on Wednesday night.

ISLAMABAD:

The president of the twin cities’ transporters union was buried at a graveyard in Rawalpindi on Thursday afternoon.

Malik Sultan Awan was allegedly murdered by two assailants in Harley Street on Wednesday night moments after he had dropped off a friend in the area. The RA Bazaar police, in whose jurisdiction the attack took place, have not identified the two attackers yet.

Moreover, investigating officer Tassawur Khan told The Express Tribune that the incident was not an armed robbery as the two men fled the scene immediately after shooting down the transport union leader. Awan’s nephew, 26-year-old nephew Saqib Javed, who was sitting on the back seat of the car at the time of the attack, was uninjured.

According to the police, the two had gone to visit Raja Abdul Majeed, who runs a furniture business in Bakra Mandi Chowk, around 9pm on Wednesday. Majeed had already closed his shop for the day, so the three sat on the footpath in front of the shop and chatted.

Afterwards, they went to drop Majeed at his home in Harley Street before proceeding to Awan’s home in Tench Bhatta.

According to Javed’s statement to the police, two young men wearing shalwar kameez were present on the main road while they were on their way home. One of them was sitting on a motorcycle. The other, who was standing near the bike, started shooting at the car with a pistol.

One of the bullets, fired towards the driver’s side, hit Awan on the neck while the rest struck the car. The attackers fled the scene right after. Awan was taken to the District Headquarters Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The RA Bazaar police believe Javed will be able to identify the attackers in a line-up.

Investigating Officer Khan said the family has not brought up whether Awan had any personal enmity. Khan said the police have registered a case and are going to investigate the matter by interrogating family and friends to look for leads.

He said it was too soon to ascertain the attackers’ motives, adding that since Awan was in the transport business, professional rivalry as a potential motive cannot be ruled out.

Suzuki Owners’ Association President Raja Bashir, who attended Awan’s funeral on Thursday, said Awan was a selfless man and his death is a major loss for the transporters’ community of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

“He was an honest and hardworking man,” Bashir said. “He kept all the different associations united when it came to transport issues.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2013.