Scared witness: Identification parade of Zahra Shahid’s murder suspects cancelled
The PTI leader was shot dead hours before re-election in NA-250 on May 17, 2013.
KARACHI:
The identification parade of two suspects in the high-profile murder case of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf leader Zahra Shahid was cancelled on Wednesday as the eyewitness refused to appear in court.
District South judicial magistrate Mumtaz Solangi had summoned the eyewitness to identify whether or not the two suspects in police custody were involved in the killing.
The prosecutors and investigators, who wished not to be named, said the identification parade could not be held as the eyewitness had refused to appear in court. The officials were uncertain if the eyewitness was concerned about his security due to some threats.
Shahid was shot dead by the assailants in front of her house in Defence Phase IV, hours before re-election in the NA-250 constituency on May 17, 2013. Sixteen months later, the police claimed to have tracked down three suspects involved in the killing, including the man who had plotted the murder.
On Monday, another eyewitness had identified the suspects, Muhammad Rashid alias Master and Zahid Abbas Zaidi, as the assailants who shot and killed Shahid. The two men were affiliated with a political party. The investigation officer had informed that the second eyewitness could not appear due to bad health. The court had summoned him to appear on Wednesday and identify the suspects.
On Wednesday, the magistrate cancelled the identification parade when the witness failed to show up.
Suspects sent to jail
Meanwhile, the anti-terrorism court-III judge, Saleem Raza Baloch sent both the suspects to the jail till October 22. The investigating officer had produced the suspects to seek an extension in their remand to police custody, saying that the investigation was still incomplete.
The police said that Rashid was arrested on September 25 on the charges of possessing illicit weapons. He disclosed during interrogation that he was involved in Shahid's murder. On his lead, police tracked down Zaidi on Oct 2.
A case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Gizri police station. Junaid Bukhari, Tariq Nawab and Asif alias Ganja were shown as absconders in the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2014.
The identification parade of two suspects in the high-profile murder case of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf leader Zahra Shahid was cancelled on Wednesday as the eyewitness refused to appear in court.
District South judicial magistrate Mumtaz Solangi had summoned the eyewitness to identify whether or not the two suspects in police custody were involved in the killing.
The prosecutors and investigators, who wished not to be named, said the identification parade could not be held as the eyewitness had refused to appear in court. The officials were uncertain if the eyewitness was concerned about his security due to some threats.
Shahid was shot dead by the assailants in front of her house in Defence Phase IV, hours before re-election in the NA-250 constituency on May 17, 2013. Sixteen months later, the police claimed to have tracked down three suspects involved in the killing, including the man who had plotted the murder.
On Monday, another eyewitness had identified the suspects, Muhammad Rashid alias Master and Zahid Abbas Zaidi, as the assailants who shot and killed Shahid. The two men were affiliated with a political party. The investigation officer had informed that the second eyewitness could not appear due to bad health. The court had summoned him to appear on Wednesday and identify the suspects.
On Wednesday, the magistrate cancelled the identification parade when the witness failed to show up.
Suspects sent to jail
Meanwhile, the anti-terrorism court-III judge, Saleem Raza Baloch sent both the suspects to the jail till October 22. The investigating officer had produced the suspects to seek an extension in their remand to police custody, saying that the investigation was still incomplete.
The police said that Rashid was arrested on September 25 on the charges of possessing illicit weapons. He disclosed during interrogation that he was involved in Shahid's murder. On his lead, police tracked down Zaidi on Oct 2.
A case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Gizri police station. Junaid Bukhari, Tariq Nawab and Asif alias Ganja were shown as absconders in the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2014.