KARACHI: The joint interrogation team (JIT) probing the murder of 19-year-old Intizar Ahmed in Defence has decided to record the statement of the father of a former class-fellow of the victim following new disclosures made by the lone witness to the incident in her video statement, it emerged on Wednesday.

Madiha Kayani, a TV show host and the only eyewitness to the Jan 13 murder, alleged that the killing was “planned” and now she also felt threatened for her life as she recognised one of the key characters of the deadly episode.

In a video statement, which went viral on social media platforms, a visibly nervous and shaken Kayani appealed to the Rangers and other law enforcement agencies to provide her security.

“It was a planned murder,” she said of Intizar’s killing. “Since I am the only eyewitness to the incident and I reported that a man sporting moustache is the murderer, I am feeling insecure for my life,” she added.

As the new video raised certain questions about the murder, the JIT on Wednesday invited the victim’s father, Ishtiaq Ahmed, his lawyer and Ms Kayani for investigation.

The JIT head, Counter-Terrorism Department chief Sanaullah Abbasi, told Dawn that they were invited since the video fuelled speculations about the murder.

The JIT advised the girl and the victim’s father not to indulge in “speculations”, he said, adding: “A private investigation is prejudicial to the police investigation.”

The CTD chief said all witnesses in the Intizar murder case would be given protection under the Witness Protection Act.

He said a formal meeting of the JIT would be held on Thursday (today).

Another member of the JIT, on the condition of anonymity, told Dawn that they decided to record the statement of Sohail Hameed, father of Mahrukh who was a former class-fellow of the victim, via a remote video link as he was in the United States.

Meanwhile, sources familiar with investigations said that Inspector Amir Hameed, brother of Sohail Hameed, recorded his statement before the JIT.

He told the JIT that his brother, Sohail Hameed, had once called Intizar’s father Ishtiaq over the phone complaining that his son was frequently calling his daughter Mahrukh in the US.

The sources said that the deceased’s family had sent a marriage proposal to Mahrukh’s family which they turned down before moving to the US.

They said that Mr Ahmed had “apologised” to Mr Hameed and told him that he had sent his son to Malaysia for further studies.

Madiha, victim’s father doubt murder probe

In her video statement, Ms Kayani — who was present in the car when Intizar was shot dead by nine personnel of the Anti-Car-Lifting Cell of the police on Khayaban-i-Ittehad in Defence on Jan 13 — said that the “persons related to the murder case such as Mahrukh, Sohail have not been interrogated”.

The deceased’s father told media that he had already informed the investigating officer about Mahrukh’s role. He pointed out that she had studied with his son for two years.

He claimed that her father, Sohail Hameed, had in November phoned him and threatened him of dire consequences, telling him that his brother, Amir Hameed, was a police officer.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2018