KARACHI: A special court on Monday remanded a suspected hitman –– said to be associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London –– in police custody till May 18.

Police claimed to have arrested Mohammed Shahzad, alias Khajji, in Malir on Sunday on the charges of killing 18 people, including policemen, since 1994.

On Monday, the investigating officer produced the suspect before a judicial magistrate, who is on special duty during the Eid holidays, to seek his physical remand in police custody for interrogation and investigation.

He said that the suspect was allegedly associated with the MQM-L and had obtained urban militancy training from the Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

He claimed that during the initial interrogation the suspect had confessed to his involvement in the killing of 18 people.

The IO said a 14-day physical remand of the suspect was required to collect evidence and complete the investigation.

However, the judge remanded the suspect in police custody for one week.

He also directed the IO to produce the suspect before the administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts on May 18 with an investigation report.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2021