ISLAMABAD: The capital police have approached the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to locate an individual who allegedly murdered the nephew of a former senator on Monday.

Officers close to the investigation told Dawn that the police asked the FIA to provide the travel history of a suspect in the case. They said a response from the agency was awaited, and added that they were verbally informed that the suspect arrived in Islamabad from abroad on August 7 and were waiting for more details on his travel history.

On Monday morning, calls were made to senior officials from the FIA’s immigration department asking for assistance in the arrest of the suspect if he was found at an airport trying to leave the country, they said.

The officers added that investigators were still in the dark about the suspect’s whereabouts and whether he was in the country.

An FIR was registered over the killing with the Shalimar police station, on several charges, including murder, attempted murder, rioting and possession of a deadly weapon, the police said. The case was registered in response to a complaint lodged by Malik Tariq, who was injured in the incident.

According to the FIR, Mr Tariq told the police a scuffle broke out between his son Husnain and the suspect, identified as Raja Arshad. He said when he arrived at the scene, Mr Arshad threatened him and his son, after which the police arrived and took them to the Shalimar police station.

His sons, Zonain and Bazid Malik also came to the police station, followed by his nephew Fahad Malik, the FIR said.

It said the suspect continued to threaten them, and they settled the matter with him out of fear.

Following the settlement, they left the police station, but were intercepted in F-10/3 by two large vehicles, Mr Tariq said in his complaint. He said armed individuals disembarked from the vehicles and began firing at them. Fahad Malik, who was driving, attempted to flee but lost control of the wheel after he was shot. Mr Tariq’s complaint said the vehicle then crashed into the wall of a house.

He said they were shifted to a hospital where Fahad Malik died.

The officers said the complainant was forced into a settlement at the police station. The suspect was given VVIP protocol within the station, they said, and added that the complainant wanted to highlight the police’s behaviour in his complaint but decided not to on the request of seniors. Shortly after the incident, the local police were advised to contact the Safe City Project’s control room for help to locate two vehicles in which the suspects escaped, but the project was not utilised, the police said.

The officers said teams were carrying out raids in various areas to arrest the four people nominated in the FIR.

A police official told Dawn that those nominated in the FIR had yet to be arrested and efforts were continuing.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2016