KARACHI: The police officers investigating the July 9 murder of Mureed Abbas, an anchorperson of a private TV channel, and one of his friends, Khizar Hayat, in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) area have recommended a probe into the financial aspect of the case by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The investigators believe that over Rs1 billion investment might have been involved in the dispute between the suspected killer, Atif Zaman, and the victims.

South SSP Investigation Tariq Dharejo has written to DIG Sharjeel Kharal urging him to approach the NAB to get an inquiry into the scam instituted.

Atif Zaman was arrested about half an hour after the double murder as he had also shot himself, apparently to commit suicide, in his DHA apartment. A double murder case against him was registered at the Darakhshan police station.

Investigators want matter referred to NAB

“During the police investigation of the case, it came to the fore with sufficient documentary evidence that the motive behind the double murder was a financial scam...,” says the letter, a copy of which has been obtained by Dawn. It stated that Atif Zaman had collected [investment] to the tune of over Rs1bn rupees and the number of people [investors] involved is more than 100.

The SSP in his letter suggested that the nature of the case fell into NAB’s jurisdiction.

He apprehended that police might face immense pressure in its efforts for the recovery of amounts and might also earn a bad name if someone is not “obliged” since the scam involves some media personnel who happened to be the investors.

Atif’s remand extended

A local court has extended the physical remand of Atif Zaman till July 19. The investigating officer of the case appeared before judicial magistrate (South) Abdul Raqeeb Tunio and submitted that the information regarding progress of investigation of the case could not be shared with the court at the moment.

He said that the health condition of the suspect was not stable as yet and, as such, he could not be moved from the health facility to court. The suspect could not be produced in court until permitted by doctors.

The IO maintained that he could not complete the investigation since he had just received the medical report regarding the cause of Mureed Abbas’s death and was yet to go through it.

He informed the court that efforts were also under way to pick up the suspect’s brother and driver for interrogation.

The IO requested extension in his physical remand and more time to complete other legal formalities before he could submit the investi­gation report in court.

Allowing his request, the judge extended Atif’s physical remand in police custody by four days and directed the IO to produce him in court on July 19.

The court also called a report regarding Atif’s health condition to be submitted on July 30.

Police said Atif had made a bungled attempt to commit suicide to escape arrest after allegedly killing Mureed Abbas and Khizar Hayat, who were demanding their invested money back.

Two cases have been registered against Atif — one under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Mureed’s wife and the other for attempting to commit suicide — at the Darakhshan police station.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2019