KARACHI: Investigators have got some leads about the identity of the assailants who attacked prominent religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani near Nipa traffic intersection a day before, said Inspector General of Police Dr Kaleem Imam on Saturday.

Mufti Usmani had survived the attempt on his life but two persons, including a police guard were killed when six motorcyclists opened indiscriminate fire in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

Talking to media after laying a floral wreath at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah to mark the Pakistan Day celebrations, the IGP disclosed that the investigators got some clues about the case.

“We know who are the people involved,” he said, without elaborating. “All aspects of the investigation would be fulfilled.”

A terrorism case has been registered against six unknown persons

He added that concerted efforts were under way to bring the culprits to justice.

He said that the Sindh police did not withdraw security from any personality.

He said that the Safe City Project would be launched soon, which would help the police to further improve the situation.

He said that thousands of policemen had sacrificed their lives to maintain peace.

“The Sindh police are on high alert,” he said, adding that incidents of terrorism had been reduced because of the efforts of law enforcers.

He said that over 500 threats to law and order had been neutralised successfully in the city recently.

Case registered

The Aziz Bhatti police registered a case on behalf of the state pertaining to the attack on Mufti Usmani’s vehicles against six unknown persons on terrorism and murder charges.

In the FIR lodged by area SHO Adeel Afzal, he stated that six suspects riding three motorcycles opened indiscriminate firing on two vehicles at Nipa traffic intersection near the Chase store in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block-10 at around 1.15pm.

As a result, police guard Mohammed Farooq and Sanober Khan were killed while driver Habib and Mufti Usmani’s aide Maulana Amir were wounded critically.

He later told Dawn that the condition of the driver was still precarious and he was being treated at the Liaquat National Hospital.

He said that Maulana Amir was admitted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and was not in a position to give his statement.

Dr Seemin Jamali, executive director of the JPMC, said that a bullet has been stuck in the head of Maulana Amir. His brain surgery was being conducted to save his life though his condition was still critical, she added.

Slain police guard’s funeral

The funeral prayer for police guard Farooq was held at the Police Headquarters Garden. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, IGP and other senior officials attended the funeral.

Separately, police and other law enforcement agencies conducted a late-night “combing operation” in Dalmia, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Gulshan-i-Iqbal after the attack on Mufti Usmani, said SSP East Azfar Mahesar.

The law enforcers conducted house-to-house search by sealing entry and exit points of the areas and detained some suspects, whose records and biometrics were being confirmed.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2019