ISLAMABAD: The main suspect in the murder of Malik Fahad, the nephew of former Senate chairman Mohammadmian Soomro, was arrest at the Torkham border crossing attempting to flee to Afghanistan.
The suspect, Raja Arshad, was handed over to the political administration of Khyber Agency, to be shifted to Islamabad.
Fahad was killed in an armed clash on August 15. An FIR was registered with the Shalimar police under the Anti-Terrorism Act, based on a complaint lodged by Malik Tariq, Fahad’s uncle, against Raja Arshad and another suspect, Noman Khokhar.
On August 15, a verbal dispute broke out in F-10 between Raja Arshad and Malik Tariq and resulted in the two men reaching an agreement at a local police station. However, both parties then clashed again in the same area. Fahad, who was attempting to mediate between the two parties, was shot four times and died, while Malik Tariq was injured.
Suspect was identified after his name was added to ECL
An initial autopsy report has suggested that the deceased received four bullets, two to his face and one each to his neck and back. However, the forensic report has not been received.
Mr Khokhar obtained protective bail on August 17, but was arrested 10 days later after an additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) dismissed his bail application. On Sunday, the duty magistrate handed Mr Khokhar over to the police on a physical remand.
Mr Arshad sought bail from a court in Multan, but was directed to report to the Islamabad courts. The police had planned to ask the court to cancel his bail during the next hearing.
A spokesperson for the interior ministry on Sunday said Mr Arshad had been apprehended at Torkham border checkpost by Shafeeq Azam, a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official.
The spokesperson said: “The suspect has been handed over to the political administration of Khyber Agency.”
The suspect was identified because the interior ministry had added his name to the exit control list.
“The ministry has announced a Rs100,000 cash [reward] and certificate for the FIA official who caught the suspect,” he added.
According to a senior police official, while he had heard that Mr Arshad had been arrested, formal confirmation of the arrest has not yet been received from the interior ministry.
Although the suspect is wanted by the police, the official said the FIA can also take action against him, if a case of attempting to breach the ECL is lodged against him.
“Just like the FIA took action against the US national Matthew Barrett, who was recently arrested after he was granted entry at Benazir Bhutto International Airport,” he explained.
“However, we had also asked the FIA to add the suspect’s name to the ‘stop list’. The stop list is a little different from the ECL because it is an informal and temporary arrangement – for a few days – [that can be made] in the presence of a single officer, to keep a check on a wanted suspect,” he added.
In response to a question, the police official said around 100 people are murdered each year in the capital, but this case had attracted attention not only because the victim was related to a former Senate chairman and also because of the suspects.
“Raja Arshad and Noman Khokhar, along with Taji Khokhar, are nominated suspects in the Sabra Bibi murder case, and Taji Khokhar is already under arrest. And there are also many other complaints, about the illegal occupation of land and other issues, about Mr Arshad,” he said.
Sabra Bibi was murdered in 2012 because she owned a kanal of land within the limits of the Airport Police Station, which she refused to sell.
Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2016