KARACHI: The driver of a suspect in a TV anchor’s murder case died during treatment at a hospital on Friday night, according to officials.

Nadeem, 43, had attemp­ted suicide by taking poison five days ago at his residence in Kashmir Colony. He was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for treatment where his health deteriorated and he was put on a ventilator. He passed away on Friday, said Dr Seemin Jamali, executive director of the hospital.

SSP South Sheeraz Nazeer said that Nadeem was the driver of the suspect, Atif Zaman, and a witness in the double murder case of TV anchor Mureed Abbas and his friend, Khizar Hayat.

The deceased’s brother was quoted by certain TV channels as having said that Nadeem had committed suicide due to financial difficulties and quarrels with his wife.

The anchor, Mureed Abbas, 34, and Khizar Hayat, 45, were gunned down by Atif Zaman in Defence Housing Authority on July 9 over a monetary dispute.

Later, the suspect, Zaman, had attem­pt­ed suicide by shooting himself but he survived.

According to DIG South Sharjeel Kharal, Atif Zaman had been running a “racket” on the pattern of Punjab’s notorious Double Shah scam, maintaining a chain of investors and paying them hefty returns, but planned to kill the key partners for demanding their money back.

“It was a Double Shah-type racket, which led to the incident,” said the top official.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2019