KARACHI, June 29: Police on Wednesday arrested an inspector for his alleged involvement in murder of Jamat-i-Islami leader Aslam Mujahid and two activists of a banned sectarian outfit for their alleged involvement in killing of a religious scholar and his associate on Burnes Road. A senior police officer said: “We have formally arrested the former station house officer of Korangi Industrial Area police station, Inspector Anwar Jafri, as we believe his involvement in the murder of Aslam Mujahid.”

He said that Anwar Jafri would be produced before a court for remand. During remand, the investigators would inquire him about the murder and involvement of his accomplices. More arrests could be possible in the case, he added.

Aslam Mujahid was allegedly kidnapped from Landhi while he was returning from funeral of a local leader of Jamat-i-Islami. Later, his bullet-riddled body was found in Korangi Industrial Area. Police lodged the FIR after a lapse of five days.

In ulema killing case, official sources said that the Investigation Zone-1 police found some clues to the suspects and they believed involvement of a banned sectarian outfit — Sipah-i-Mohammad Pakistan — behind the killings of Mufti Ateequr Rehman and his associate Maulana Irshadul Haq on last Thursday.

A senior police officer on condition of anonymity said: “We have picked up two activists of the banned organization. They are hard core elements in the organization and we are hopeful that they would lead us to the real killers.” However, he did not disclose the names of those picked up saying that it would not appropriate at the very moment as the publicity of their names could hamper the process of investigation.

The officer said that the involvement of Raza Imam, chief of the banned outfit, could not be ruled out in the killing of Mufti Ateequr Rehman. He dispelled the impression that Raza Imam had left the country. “We have credible information that he (Raza Imam) is very much in the city,” he firmly said.

Mufti Ateequr Rehman, his 10-year-old son Ammad, and his associate Maulana Irshadul Haq came under attack by unidentified gunmen on June 23. Ammad survived the attack and later helped the police in drawing of a sketch of one of the possible attackers.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State on Religious Affairs, Amir Liaquat Hussain, thanked the people of Jamia Binnoria for providing him shelter and saving his life.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, he said that he forgave those who had maltreated and manhandled him when he arrived at Jamia Binnoria to attend funeral prayers of Mufti Ateequr Rehman and Maulana Irshad. He thanked Mufti Naeem, his associates and those ‘veiled’ girls who rescued him.