KARACHI: Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday claimed to have arrested a suspect stated to be a close aide to the main accused in the Baldia factory arson attack.

The police along with the personnel of a federal intelligence agency conducted an action in Azizabad and detained the suspect identified as Yasin, alias Kamran.

“The held suspect was linked with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London and is a close associate of the main accused in the Baldia factory fire tragedy, Rehman, alias Bhola,” said the CTD official. He was involved in several targeted killings, the officer added.

The held suspect was involved in the targeted killing of a policeman and others, claimed CTD officer Shoaib Qureshi.

During the interrogation, the suspect revealed that police constable Arif and his friend Akbar were killed in 1998 under the directions of Rehman, alias Bhola, in Baldia Town.

Suspect has ‘confessed’ to being involved in several murders

He told interrogators that he along with five other suspects killed a worker of Punjabi-Pakhtun Ittehad, Zakir, in Baldia Town under directions of Bhola in 2008.

The same year, he also killed a man, Shakir, alias Patni at Kausar Chowk in Baldia Town. He disclosed that he along with other suspects killed a man in Ranchore Line on orders of Bhola.

The suspect also told the investigators that he along with Rehman, alias Bhola, had killed Abbas, alias Mada, a younger brother of Yaqub, in Mohajir Camp.

He had been arrested by law enforcers several times in the past, according to the CTD press release.

Man shot dead by wife’s ex-husband

A man was shot dead while his mother and a sister were injured allegedly by the former husband of his wife in Korangi late on Thursday night, said police.

They added that Abdul Sattar, 30, was gunned down while his mother Rani and sister Farhana were injured inside their home in Zia Colony.

Awami Colony police officer Mazhar Shah claimed that the former husband of the victim’s wife was involved in the crime.

The officer pointed out that around three years ago, Farzana got divorced from her husband Rais.

Later on, she married Abdul Sattar in Sadiqabad, Punjab.

Abdul Sattar along with his family shifted to Zia Colony in Korangi around three months ago.

The officer said Rais was enraged by the second marriage of his former wife with Abdul Sattar.

Late on Thursday night, Rais along with his other relatives came and shot dead Abdul Sattar and injured his mother and sister with the help of an axe.

The suspects, who belonged to Kashmore district, managed to escape from the crime scene.

The victim hailed from Ubauro, Ghotki.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2021