SIALKOT, Nov 22: Police have arrested an alleged hit man, Fahad Ghumman, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who was wanted in 16 murder cases registered with Sialkot police, District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Gohar Nafees told a press conference on Friday.

A team of Sialkot police, led by Sub-Inspector Khalid Warya, arrested the suspect after several raids in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the DPO said.

Ghumman was wanted by police in 16 murder cases wherein he acted as a hired killer. He was allegedly involved in the murder Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib, of Murray College Sialkot (2004); trader Mohsin Butt, Hajipura (2006); trader Khalid Mehmood of Daska (2007); shopkeeper Mehr Yasir, of Naikapura (2008); travel agent Khawaja Lolaak Bashir, of Sialkot (2010); milkman Amjad, alias Billa, of Rangpura (2011); Raheem and Shehbaz, of Sialkot Cantt (20130, and travel agents Shahid and Aamir, brothers of slain Khawaja Lolaak Bashir (2013).

Mr Nafees said the suspect had shot at and injured seven other people in separate strikes. Police arrested 13 people who either hired Ghumman for killing or acted as abettors. He said 10 more people involved in the death gang had also been traced, who are: Shehzad, alias Leesha; Chaand Butt, Irfan Butt, Rizwan Butt, Ashfaq, Maqbool, and Ansar Sultan. The DPO they had escaped abroad and Sialkot police are contacting the Interpol for their arrest.

The Punjab government had announced a Rs200,000 head money for those arresting or helping the police arrest Ghumman.

All the arrested masked accused were also presented before the newsmen and they confessed their involvement in the murder cases as well.

The district police chief announced cash and appreciation certificates for sub-inspectors Khalid Warya and Badar Muneer, head constable Zulfiqar Ahmed and constables Muhammad Asif, Samar and Nazar Hayyat.

SP (investigation) Asad Sarfraz Khan, DSP Maqsood Ahmed Lone and District Peace Committee member Zafar Malik were also present.

CASE: The Daska Sadar police registered an abduction case after five years of the incident.

According to the first information report under section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code, complainant Muhammad Shafiq stated that his younger brother Muhammad Idrees disappeared just three days after his marriage on April 6, 2008, from village Glotiyaan Khurd. He said police were reluctant to register the case.