September 01, 2007	Saturday	Sha’aban 18, 1428

RAWALPINDI, Aug 31: A six-member team of security and administrative officials from the US embassy on Thursday visited the scene of the crime in Islamabad where pastor Arif Khan and his wife, Cathleen Khan, were murdered on Wednesday, an official source told Dawn.

The US team visited Pastor Arif Khan’s house in I-8/3 sector and examined the scene of the crime. The US embassy officials made an inventory of the valuables lying in the house and took cash and jewellery into their custody.

While confirming the visit of the US embassy team to the pastor’s house, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jameel Hashmi told Dawn that the US officials had made an inventory of the valuables lying in his house and seized cash and jewellery as they were of the view that they would be more safe in their custody.

Mr Hashmi said he asked the US team to join the double murder investigation, but the members refused and said they were satisfied with the investigation being carried out by the local police.

Besides some books and CDs, a notebook was also found from the pastor’s room. The book had some notes written on it, including the name Honey Havaid.

“It was noted that Honey Havaid’s name had been struck off with a pen,” Mr Hashmi said.

Honey Havaid, who had been member of Grace Baptist Protestant Church, had resigned from its membership.

The deceased pastor, Arif Khan, who had been living in Pakistan for the last one decade, had established Grace Baptist Protestant Church in a house situated on Double Road near Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The police have been working on different lines as they believe that it was a “revenge murder” however, the actual reason is yet to be ascertained.

“It was a planned murder and not a robbery case as everything, including cash and jewellery, were lying in the house and nobody had touched them,” SI Javaid Awan said.

Pastor Arif Khan and his US national wife Cathleen were murdered in their rented house in I-8/3 sector last Wednesday night.

A staff nurse at Pims, Fauzia Havaid, along with her husband Honey Havaid, who were suspects in the case, were caught by the police shortly after the incident came to light. However, their third accomplice identified as Said Alam is yet to be arrested.

Police said Said Alam and his wife, who belonged to Dera Ismail Khan, had close relations with staff nurse Fauzia Havaid as Alam’s wife was her colleague.

DSP Hashmi further revealed that the accused had been living in Islamabad since 2002 and had changed 10 houses. At present they were residing in Golra village.

The DSP said: “The couple’s past record had not been good and had a dubious character. One person had already fallen prey to the nurse, Fauzia, who got him involved in a narcotics case. At present she is in remand custody and is being interrogated by the police.”— Staff Reporter