Arshad Pappu case: Arrest warrants issued for investigation officer

ATC judge irked by Inspector Abid Ansari's absence from court.

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) issued on Wednesday non-bailable warrants of arrest once again for a police officer investigating the triple murder of gangster Arshad Pappu and his aides.

Inspector Abid Ansari neither appeared nor informed the court about his absence from the hearing of the controversial case. ATC-VII judge Akhlaq Hussain Larik, irked with the delays, expressed displeasure over Ansari's irresponsible behaviour and issued warrants for his arrest. The warrants were issued through the South DIG, who was asked to appear in court in person on June 23 and bring the inspector with him.

During the hearing, the court reserved its order on the bail application of accused Yusuf Baloch, a former police officer accused of abetting the murders, till the next hearing of the case.

Five suspects, including Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Shahjahan Baloch, are currently under custody, while as many as a dozen suspects are absconding. The absconders include Uzair Baloch, the chief of the defunct Peoples Amn Committee, and his rival Baba Ladla. Some policemen also have been accused of helping the culprits reach the slain men.

Drug kingpin Pappu, his brother and an associate were lynched to death by rival gang members after being abducted from their hideout in DHA in March 2013. The brutal killings were also filmed on mobile phones.

The case was not registered by the police until the Supreme Court issued directives to do so in response to a plea filed by Pappu's widow.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2015.