Safoora bus attack: Non-bailable arrest warrant issued for weapons dealer

Motiwala owns a gun shop in Karachi's Zamzama and was accused of possessing arms stolen from Nato containers in 2013

KARACHI:

A Customs court issued on Saturday a non-bailable warrant for the arrest of a weapons dealer, who is suspected to be involved in the Safoora bus attack case.

The Federal Investigation Agency submitted that the suspect, Zahid Motiwala, went into hiding in a bid to avoid arrest. Motiwala owns an arms and ammunitions shop in Zamzama. He has been accused of criminal activity in past as well. In 2013, he and his associates were charged with carrying weapons stolen from containers bound for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) forces.



In August this year, FIA had nabbed a man, identified as Mumtazuddin, who is said to be an international arms smuggler, from the Karachi airport. During initial interrogation, he confessed that he used to smuggle weapons for a National Database Registration Authority official, Colonel (retd) Hafeez. Hafeez sold these arms to a weapon dealer, Haris, who is linked to Motiwala. All the suspects in the case have appeared before the court and have been given bail, except Motiwala who remains absconding up till now.

On Saturday, the investigator submitted that Motiwala has gone into hiding since his name has surfaced in the Safoora bus attack case. He allegedly provided weapons to the assailants who attacked the bus. The judge after accepting the report of the FIA officer issued arrest warrants for Motiwala again, asking investigators to expedite his hunt.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2015.