LAHORE: Multan police claimed on Saturday to have arrested three suspects allegedly involved in killing a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader over a monetary dispute.

PTI leader and Chief Minister Complaints Cell former in-charge Sheikh Tahir Hameed Qureshi was shot dead by two unidentified motorcyclists on Oct 15. The Basti Malook police registered a case on the complaint of the victim’s brother Umer and started an investigation. On Saturday, the police arrested three suspects Haris, Shehzad and Ali.

Multan City Police Officer (CPO) Khurrum Shehzad Haider addressing a press conference said Mr Qureshi’s childhood friend Haris was involved in the killing. He said the PTI leader was killed over a monetary dispute. The main suspect, Haris, had planned to kill Qureshi three months ago.

He said the suspect had hired two men Shehzad and Ali to kill Qureshi. On the day of the incident, the suspect was driving the car and shared the location to his accomplices.

The CPO said the main suspect had stopped the car as his two accomplices chased him when they were going to the victim’s cattle farm. He said the main suspect pulled out his gun and shot his friend dead while sitting in the car and later handed over his and the victim’s mobile phones and wallets to his accomplices.

He said the suspect also confessed to his crime while adding the CPO announced cash prizes and commendatory certificates for the investigation team.

Published in Dawn, October 23th, 2022