In court: Ubaid K2, Nadir Shah identified by witness

They were picked out in an identification parade for the murders of two policemen

KARACHI: A key witness on Monday identified alleged target killers Ubaid Khursheed alias K2 and Nadir Shah in a 15-year-old murder case of two policemen.

Khursheed and Shah were presented before judicial magistrate XII of District East amid tight security. They were blindfolded, handcuffed and limping as policemen escorted them to court.

The identification parade of the case took place inside the chamber of judge, Suleman Burero, with the suspects being made to stand in a line with a dozen other people. The witness, whose name has been kept confidential, identified each suspect thrice, as is required by the law.

According to the prosecution, Khursheed and Shah had gunned down two police officers, Rehan and Nisar, in Soldier Bazaar in 2000. The complainant, Rehan's brother Irfan, had registered an FIR against the suspects and five others - Asif alias Danda, Jamal Shahpuri, Abid alias Miru, Shahid and Javed. Irfan had contended that the suspects had been threatening his brother for his involvement in the 1992 Karachi operation.

This is the third time since Khursheed's arrest in the March 11 raid at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement headquarters that he has been identified by witnesses in murder cases registered against him.

As many as 100 party workers were taken into custody during the early morning raid conducted by the Rangers. Twenty-six of them were implicated in FIRs for possessing illicit weapons and explosives while the rest, including party leader Amir Khan, were detained by the paramilitary force for questioning for 90 days.

The two suspects were taken to the anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) for the hearing of their cases after the identification parade. ATC-III judge Saleem Raza Baloch extended their remand by a day as the case investigation officer, DSP Rahim Shah, submitted that the whereabouts of the absconding suspects needed to be ascertained.

Separately, another ATC also remanded Khursheed for one more day in the case of the murder of Karachi Central Jail deputy superintendent Amanullah Khan Niazi, who was murdered along with his brother Habibullah and others in 2006.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2015.