KARACHI: An undertrial prisoner, who was arrested on charges of killing a teenager around four years ago, was shot at and critically wounded by the victim’s father at a Malir court before his hearing on Monday, officials said.

The suspect, identified as Kifayatullah, was arrested along with the weapon, prompting authorities to order an inquiry as to how he brought a weapon on the court premises.

The Malir City police said that UTP Khushdil Khan, 25, was shot and wounded by Kifayatullah, 60.

The UTP was in the custody of the police and was supposed to be presented in court for case evidence.

Police arrest the suspect, recover weapon

Malir SSP Irfan Bahadur said that Khushdil was arrested for allegedly killing Kifayatullah’s son, Ahsan Ali, in Quaidabad in 2016.

He was brought to the court from prison by the police to be presented before the additional district judge-I Malir. He was present in the waiting room of the court when the suspect started firing.

He suffered critical injuries and was transported to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where he was put on a ventilator.

JPMC’s executive director Dr Seemin Jamali said that the UTP suffered bullet wounds in the head and face and was shifted to the neuro-trauma centre. She said that the chances of his survival were very slim.

The Malir SSP said that the wounded UTP was arrested multiple times in criminal cases.

The police believed that the suspect might have targeted the UTP as he was “not getting justice” for his son.

Asked how he brought the weapon inside the court, the SSP said that police authorities ordered an inquiry in this regard.

He pointed out that there was strict security as the Malir judicial complex had only one gate where thorough checking tended to take place and CCTV cameras were installed there.

It would be investigated as to whether a lawyer provided him the weapon or he had already hidden it there.

Judge seeks police probe report

A district judge has directed the Malir SP to submit a report of inquiry into the armed attack on a UTP on the premises of the court.

District and Sessions Judge (Malir) Naveed Ahmed Soomro directed the SP to submit his report by Dec 18.

The judge wrote in the order that it had come to his knowledge that an accused, Khushdil, had been murdered outside his court, which was scheduled to pronounce its judgement in the case.

The judge asked the SP-Malir to submit his report and confirm the death of the accused person so that further proceedings could be initiated.

On Nov 26, the court had reserved its verdict in the murder case.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2020