KARACHI: An alleged MQM-London hitman involved in the killing of a former Liaquatabad Town nazim was arrested, police said on Saturday.

They claimed that the arrested suspect was allegedly involved in the murder of the nazim and other people in targeted attacks.

Malir City police detained Abdul Rehman and seized a hand grenade from him. During interrogation, it transpired that the held suspect was a member of a killer gang of the MQM-London, said a police spokesperson. He had joined the MQM in 2008. In 2011, he joined the party’s hitmen team. The police claimed he had confessed to his involvement in five targeted killing incidents. The suspect with his accomplices shot dead a ward-in-charge of the Awami National Party, Fazal Kareem, and his aide Aslam Malang in Nazimabad-3 in July 2012.

The suspect with his accomplice Faisal gunned down Jamaat-i-Islami leader and former nazim of Liaquatabad Town, Dr Pervez Mehmood, with his driver, Khaleequllah, during firing on his car in September 2012 in Liaquatabad. The police said that after the killing of Dr Mehmood, the suspect was sent to Dubai on a visit visa by the party.

After returning from Dubai, the suspect made an attempt on the life of Pakistan Peoples Party district Central president Imtiaz Khan, who was wounded in the attack with his aide in June 2012.

Three persons shot at

Three persons were shot at and injured by suspected robbers on resistance in separate incidents on Saturday.

Soldier Bazaar police said Zaman Ali Jafri, 32, and Masroor Ahmad, 18, were shot at and injured during robbery resistance near the Alibhai Auditorium.

The injured were taken to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for treatment.

In another incident, Javed, 30, was shot at and injured during a robbery attempt at the Habib Bank Chowrangi in the SITE area. The wounded was shifted to the CHK for treatment.

Meanwhile, a group of people got hold of a suspected robber during a snatching attempt at Jivani Heights off the Superhighway.

The mob subjected him to severe beating before a Sachal police party arrived there and took him into custody.

The suspect was shifted to the Memon Hospital in an unconscious condition while an accomplice of his escaped. The police seized a motorbike from the custody of the wounded suspect that was stolen earlier in the city.

Robbers loot home, kidnap boy

Unknown robbers on Saturday snatched cash and gold ornaments from a family and kidnapped a child in Ibrahim Hyderi.

Police said on Saturday that four unidentified robbers entered Jawed’s house at Balochabad in Ibrahim Hyderi. They kidnapped a boy named Amaar Hussain and also snatched Rs250,000 cash and some gold ornaments from the inmates. Police later detained a suspect, Razzaq, for interrogation.Malir SSP, Irfan Bahadur said that kidnapped child was about 18 months later from the same area. The officer said the incident took place at 4:30 am but the family informed the police at 9:40am. He suspected some family dispute behind the incident. The officer revealed that the held suspect was also familiar with the family.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2021