HYDERABAD: Ran-ipur police reportedly picked up Pir Fayaz Shah, father-in-law of Asad Shah, prime suspect in the Fatima Furro murder case, on Friday.

Khairpur SSP Samiullah neither confirmed nor denied the arrest. “We don’t know,” he said when asked whether the pir had been arrested.

He said that social media had reported the arrest through ‘sources’ and refused to share information about the suspect’s custody with police in some other case before disconnecting the phone call.

Fayaz was given protective pre-arrest bail till Sept 26 in the murder case by Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit bench on Sept 20.

Sources said that the pir was picked up in another case linked to the main case while Asad Shah’s disciples threatened at a gathering media persons for damaging reputation of the pir’s family.

The SHC did not allow protective bail to Fayaz’s daughter and Asad’s wife, Ms Hina Shah, as the judges asked her counsel to satisfy the court on a few points. Ms Hina was directed to appear before the SHC Hydera-bad circuit bench on Sept 26 along with her counsel.

Police had obtained DNA sample of Fayaz Shah, Asad Shah and other family members in the last week of August and the report was still awaited.

Fatima Furro, a young housemaid, died in mysterious circumstances at the mansion of Fayaz Shah in Ranipur on Aug 14. Her mother said that she had handed over Fatima to Fayaz Shah who had then entrusted her to his daughter, Ms Hina.

Published in Dawn, September 23th, 2023