LAHORE: The Lahore police claimed to have arrested two suspects – a woman and a man – in the murder case of retired superintendent of police (SP) Farhat Abbas, within 24 hours of the killing.

The police said a sister-in-law of the deceased had hatched his murder plan and executed it with the help of a private security guard, who shot the retired police officer dead on Saturday last.

The guard had also been arrested from tribal area, he had escaped to, after committing the crime, the police added.

A CCTV camera video clip showed a man wearing helmet shot at and killed Farhat Abbas outside his residence and fled away.

Lahore Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) police chief retired Capt Liaqat Ali Malik told the media that the police resolved the blind murder case of the retired police officer within 24 hours of the incident.

He said Hirra Bibi, widow of the deceased officer’s brother, had been arrested by the CIA team headed by Iqbal Town Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohammad Ali Butt.

He said investigations revealed that Hirra Bibi had hired a private security guard, Arif Afridi, for the murder.

About motive of the murder, the CIA SSP said the deceased had barred his sister-in-law from hiring the guard owing to some reasons, but she harboured grudge against him for interfering in her personal matters.

He said the alleged shooter stayed at a hotel for two weeks near the residence of Farhat Abbas to monitor his schedule.

The SSP said that after killing Abbas, the shooter abandoned the motorbike he used in the crime at a deserted road to mislead the police.

Further investigations were underway, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2023