KARACHI: Police on Monday claimed to have arrested the prime suspect allegedly involved in stealing the mobile phones of 59 women, who were brought to a farmhouse in Gadap on Oct 1 on the pretext of job interviews.

Malir SSP Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada told Dawn that the suspect was identified as Babar alias Sahil Salman and the police had recovered 40 mobile phones from his possession.

Initially, police had arrested Waqas, who had booked the farmhouse, and Nargis, the event coordinator. They also arrested Shahzad, who had allegedly helped the main suspect escape on a motorcycle after the mobile phones were taken away.

The SSP said the prime suspect had introduced himself as Salman at the farmhouse, but it transpired later that his actual name was Babar.

He said acting on a tip-off, police arrested the prime suspect while he was on his way to sell 40 mobile phones in an attempt to “destroy” evidence.

He said police had obtained clues suggesting that the remaining 19 mobile phones were in the possession of another absconding suspect. Concerted efforts were underway to arrest him, he added.

The Malir SSP said the main suspect, allegedly with Nargis’s help, had created a WhatsApp group and placed job advertisements to lure the women. He subsequently hired a bus and took them to the farmhouse.

The suspect also told investigators that he had planned the robbery “after watching movies”.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2026