KARACHI: The Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, on Friday night said that the killing of Mohammad Hashim might be the work of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s internal elements, as he was an ‘important worker’ of the party.

The MQM rejected the Rangers report in a late-night statement.

Sharing their inquiry report with the media, the paramilitary force said Hashim might have been eliminated as he possessed a “vast amount of information about the party’s internal and external affairs being a photographer of the party’s headquarters, popularly known as Nine Zero, for 10 years and being an alleged active member of targeted killing team of the Liaquatabad sector”.

The MQM coordination committee, in their hurriedly called meeting on Aug 9, had stated that Mohammad Hashim was allegedly taken away, tortured and killed ‘extra-judicially’. The party had also alleged that Hashim was detained by the Rangers while he was on his way home in Liaquatabad on May 6.

“Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, as per their commitment had started inquiry to ascertain facts and managed to record at least seven evidences and ascertained other records as well,” said the force spokesperson in a detailed statement.

Witnesses included Rangers and police personnel, Hashim’s family and other elements.

“The MQM coordination committee was approached by the Rangers inquiry team, but they could not get meaningful cooperation from them.” The force spokesperson shared with the media at least 11 points of the report.

The official said the MQM coordination committee had claimed that Hashim, the Liaquatabad sector worker, was taken away by the Rangers on May 6, while his wife told the inquiry team that her husband had gone ‘missing’ on May 5. As far as the MQM coordination committee’s allegation that the Rangers detained him was concerned, the paramilitary force said a call record of Hashim indicated that he made at least three phone calls at different times on May 23, May 24 and May 30, respectively, which proved that the MQM exaggerated their statement that he was in the Rangers ‘custody’.

As per his family’s statement, Hashim had gone to the newspaper office of Amn at around 2pm on May 5 and had contacted his family at 6pm. The MQM coordination committee had alleged that he had been taken away by ‘police or Rangers’ while going home from Nine Zero on May 6 at 10pm.

“It showed that Mohammad Hashim was available at Nine Zero from May 5 at 18:00 evening till 22:00 night on May 6,” stated the Rangers report.

The paramilitary force claimed that after the coordination committee’s press release about ‘missing, torture and extra-judicial killing’ of Hashim, the inquiry team invited MQM leaders but they initially refused to cooperate with the officials. It was after a gap of two days that Hashim’s lawyer and other ‘responsible persons’ agreed to meet the inquiry team and shared information.

The Rangers quoted the MQM leaders as admitting that the coordination committee had no proof that Hashim was in the custody of the Rangers or police. “The coordination committee also stated that their statement was based on general impression.”

The family stated that late Hashim was a security guard at Valika Hospital, but the hospital’s security supervisor told the team that he was neither a security guard nor he performed security duty there.

The family also claimed that Hashim was a photographer associated with the daily Amn, but when the inquiry team approached the Amn newspaper management, they said Hashim was provided a card of ‘voluntarily photographer’ that he used for personal purposes. He was neither the employee of Amn newspaper nor was seen in its office, the report stated, adding that the office record also showed that he was never paid salary by the newspaper.

However, according to police criminal record, Mohammad Hashim was allegedly involved in a gun attack on a Rangers vehicle in Liaquatabad-4 near Jhanda Chowk on July 2, 1998 in which one Rangers personnel, Dildar Hussain, was killed while another personnel, Mumtaz, was wounded.

“These facts and intelligence sources as well revealed that Mohammed Hashim was MQM’s important worker, which was also evident from the coordination committee’s statement.”

“Hashim had vast information about the MQM’s internal and external affairs and he had been working as photographer at the party’s headquarters Nine Zero for the past 10 years. He was an active member of Liaquatabad sector’s targeted killing team and was wanted by the police,” added the Rangers statement.

“Based on these factors, it is not beyond belief that Hashim might have been killed by the MQM’s internal elements,” stated the report.

“Based on these facts, the Rangers and police were justified in saying that better results could be guaranteed if the MQM assesses the role of their internal elements,” suggested the paramilitary force. “Police and the Rangers, as being national institutions, reserve their right to pursue legal action against such baseless allegations,” added the statement issued by the Rangers spokesperson.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...