KARACHI: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered a judicial inquiry into the killing of Intizar Ahmed, who was gunned down by Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) officials on Khayaban-i-Ittehad on Saturday night.

The ACLC officials in civvies opened indiscriminate fire on Intizar’s car when he did not stop it on their indication.

The chief minister issued the order on the request of Intezar’s father, Ishtiaq Ahmed, who sent a letter to him.

Thereafter, Mr Shah directed the chief secretary to initiate the process of judicial inquiry.

He then contacted the father on telephone and informed him that the government was going to start the judicial inquiry as desired by him.

“Just give me a day to finalise all formalities for the judicial inquiry,” he told the father.

He also told him that he will address all his apprehensions and reservations in terms of investigation into the murder of his son.

Initially, Intizar’s killing was termed an act of targeted killing by the police but after a few days it transpired that ACLC officials were involved in it.

The ACLC is a specialised cell of the Karachi police which deals with theft of vehicles.

All the nine ACLC personnel involved in the incident have been suspended by Criminal Investigation Agency chief DIG Saqib Ismail Memon and an inquiry has been ordered against them.

The suspended officials included three inspectors Tariq Rahim, Tariq Mehmood and Azhar Ahsan Rizvi; two head constables Ghulam Abbas and Shahid; and four constables Ghulam Abbas, Fawad Khan, Mohammad Daniyal and Bilal Rasheed.

It was reported that Tariq Mehmood was the ACLC SHO while constables Daniyal and Bilal were guards of the ACLC SSP.

“We have registered a murder case against the cops on the complaint of the family,” explained South SSP Javed Akbar Riaz.

UAE ambassador calls on CM

Ambassador of the UAE Hamad Obaid Al-Zaabi along with his Consul General in Karachi Naseer Huwaiden Al-Ketbi called on Mr Shah at the Chief Minister House and they discussed bilateral relations.

He told the chief minister that the UAE was going to start working with Pakistan in the social sector such as running a drive against polio and other health care programmes.

Welcoming the decision of the UAE government, the CM said: “I have already declared an emergency in the health sector and have achieved better results.”

He told the visitors there were vast investment opportunities in Sindh, particularly in energy, renewable energy and the mass transit sectors. The chief minister presented mementos, Ajraks and Sindhi caps, to the visiting diplomats.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2018